《Virtuous Old Man, SSS-Rank is Confirmed in Your Next Life》 1 Good prologue, reincarnated Your next life is determined by your deeds during your life. The more crimes you commit, the more miserable your next life will be, and on the contrary, the more good deeds you do, the more you will be rewarded in your rebirth. Consequences are also applicable to the next life. I''m in the afterlife now. Oh no, you killed 461 people as a bandit. F-grade. The next life is a daphne and the next life is a pig. You''ll be back human after that. You killed one person in an accident. But you''ve helped several people with your healing magic. ...... minus a C-rank. Next you will be reborn as a commoner''s home. It''s like a bureaucratic place, and while the other dead are being judged one after another, I stand in line quietly. I watched people who were reincarnated after being ranked and their memories erased one by one. It is quite interesting to see many people''s lives. Secrets that will never be revealed while you''re alive and good things you did in secret will be exposed here. Screw you!It''s not right that I should be born again as a lowly commoner! "You''ve gone to the extent of treason, contemplation! Sometimes, after listening to the judges, they go berserk and are literally stuck in the street. The emperor of the empire, who is still a huge celebrity, was given a D-grade judge, and his next life is set to be a life of poverty and bad luck. He flails around in the guise of authority, but that''s not going to fly, he was quickly seized, drank the holy water of memory erasure, and thrown into a huge hole across the procession to be reincarnated into a new life. In the meantime, it was my turn. Let''s see, soul number 1986397479, your human name is Janti Kind? Yes, I''ve never heard of a soul number. Haha, it would be a problem if you knew that. The woman with wings in front of me smiled with a carefree smile. ''Now I''ll settle your lifetime of good and bad deeds, you can appeal up to three by rule, what do you want to do? I''ll leave it to you. It doesn''t make a difference what I''ve seen so far. No, no, sometimes a very bad person can get away with the worst, you see. The woman pointed to the side. Then a man, obviously a bandit, thought desperately about it. Here it is!There it is, I saved a kid. I gave the leftovers to a hungry kid. Sure it is. Okay, so the next life is a dog, and if you live the life of a dog properly, then you will be human again from then on. "Eeeeeeee!You did a good thing! The man''s memory was erased and he was pushed down into the hole and reincarnated just like the rest of us. If the man hadn''t squeezed that out, he''d be a clam. He would have lived for nearly 100 years at the bottom of the sea. "I see. So appeals aren''t entirely pointless. It''s all right, it''s the end of my life and I don''t blame you for being jittery. That''s graceful, I like that kind of person. Okay, let''s start the reckoning. Please. The woman - probably an angel in the lore - began to flip through the papers at a high rate of speed. Each time she wrote something on a machine she had never seen before. Suddenly, his hand snapped to a stop. Whew! "What''s up?Such a careless voice. This is ...... no but impossible. "Huh? "Excuse me, can you wait a minute? The angel said that and yelled at the other angels. The other angels around her, probably her colleagues, gathered around her one by one, which brought the rest of the line to a complete standstill. That''s a little unlikely, I agree with you, but I get the same result when I do the math. "I just did, too. I''m sure of her results. It''s unbelievable. I got the same result. It''s been 500 years since I''ve had this kind of result. The angels gathered around and said something to each other, but it seemed to be the result of the first angel''s reckoning. They all nodded to each other once, and then returned to their assigned positions. And this angel over here. "Thank you for waiting. That''s your result. "Yes. You''re SSS ranked, you''ve done an amazing amount of good deeds. "Huh. I''d be surprised at the amount of good deeds you''ve done. I don''t think I''m a bad person, but I''ve been trying not to be a bad person my whole life, but... I''m not surprised by the word "surprisingly good". The SSS ranks have two exceptions. One is to be a god. "God? "Yes, that''s our boss, in a nutshell. "Huh. "You don''t sound interested. You can go from human to god. By the way, an SS-ranked person becomes an angel like us. "Well, I can see the difference, To God in SSS rank and to an angel in SS one of them did. It''s clear and straightforward. What''s the other option? It is to be reincarnated as a human being. It''s not enough to become a god, but it will be a blessed life among humans. Well, though, since you are SSS-ranked, I recommend you to become a god-- "In human beings then. "I''ll--I''ll do it! "Human, please. "Are you sure?SSS rank, right?I can be a god, you know? Yes, I don''t know about God. With humans, life will be better than this one, right? "Of course, because it''s SSS rated!Huh. ...... You''re a strange one. Okay, so you''ll be reincarnated as a human with SSS rank. The angel stamped the document with a snap. Now I''m going to reincarnate you. "Yes, I know. We can just jump down from there. "Yes, yes, in that case-- I know. I don''t complain, I''ve seen a lot of people get in trouble for it earlier. Staggered and headed for the big hole. All reincarnations have been pushed down into this hole. The more frivolous a person is, the more violently they are pushed down. It''s hard work, so let''s just jump in without causing too much trouble. Well, thank you for your help. "No, not holy water-- The angel was about to say something, but without hesitation I jumped into the hole. The feeling of falling envelops my whole body, one after another, I lose all sensation in my body. I can''t see or hear. Eventually, I can''t even feel that I''m falling. ............. I don''t know how much time passed, but little by little, my senses started to come back. First the sense of touch. I was held in warm water and wrapped in a soft cloth. Then the sense of smell, a soothing, delicious smell hits my nose. And then the sense of hearing. "Ohhhhhh!This is my baby? "You ...... "Well done!Good job, dude!This is my baby. ...... "You name this child, It''s already decided. Alexander! "Well, that''s the name of the founder of my family. "Mm!It''s also meant to make you grow up to be a brave man who deserves it. "Alexander ...... Alec ...... will grow up to live up to your father''s expectations. Apparently, the voices of the man and woman heard now were the voices of the new parents. The father''s voice was brave and the mother''s voice was kind. They sounded like good parents. Yes, we must speak to the Emperor and ask for the boy''s knighthood. My eldest son, the future heir to the house, must at least get a knighthood. That''s nice. "And the forgiveness!Wait for me, Alec, my father will find you a great wife. That''s going to have to wait, dear. A wife-to-be is fine, but wouldn''t it be better to let Alec choose his own wife? If you find someone you like, that''s fine. As long as you don''t hate your wife, you can marry them both. You are the eldest son of the Carlisle family. That''s true, too. "Oh, I''m sure Alec and his wife''s child ...... will be a cute kid. "You''re too quick, you''re too quick. "Really?That''s right too, hahahaha. "Uh-huh. My parents laughed out loud. They seem to be good parents, but they seem to be pretty stupid. That''s not a bad thing, it''s a good thing. Apparently they were born into an aristocratic family, but despite being aristocrats, their parents seemed to understand a lot of things. It''s a rare combination, one of a kind in the world. The realization that I was born into an SSS-ranked house is slowly starting to sink in . ...... Huh? You''ve been reborn ...... . Then why do you have memories of your previous life? Normally, memories are erased. ...... I remember I didn''t drink the holy water to erase my memory before my reincarnation. When I found my reincarnation destination, I accepted it so easily and quickly reincarnated that I forgot to drink the holy water. I was reincarnated as a baby with the memories of my previous life. Is this ...... okay? My eyes became dazzling, my vision came back to the end. In front of me were the faces of a man and a woman, I believe they were my parents. And beyond that, there was the translucent face I had seen, the angel in charge. She hovered in the sky, a puzzled look on her face. I''m still in trouble, I''m sorry. Now wipe the memory. So it''s a new life. And then I was ready to start. "...... The angel sighed with a troubled look on his face, and then he disappeared with a start. Disappeared?Why? I wondered, but there was no one to answer me. Let''s take down those pending barbarians!We''ll wipe them out, take their land, and make it Alec''s first domain! You''re an idiot. All I can hear is the voices of the two idiots. I don''t know what''s going on, but it seems . I seem to have been reborn in an SSS-ranked family with my memories. 2 01. Good people learn to write with their daughter-in-law Wake up in the morning sun, sit up in bed and stretch. My little body, puffy limbs. I just turned three years old, my memory is still intact, but my body is growing like a person. The day I was born, I saw an angel, but the other side immediately sighed as if it had given up, and then it was gone. The angel hasn''t been seen since. The memories that remain with me are intact. I was reborn as a baby with memories of my previous life, memories of living for decades. Alexander Carlyle. That is my new name. I was born the eldest son of the imperial duke Carlisle, and lived a life unencumbered by a nanny parasol. When I learned to waddle, a girl my own age was brought in beside me. Angelica Silva. My bride, the only daughter of the rising nobleman Baroness Silva. I saw her father''s true colors. Those of us with memory know the power structure of the duke and the baronet. If the Duke insists, it''s the quasi-duke who can''t say no. My daughter-in-law, who is the same age as me, is still good. If the Duke is a pedophile and wants a girl who''s just learned to walk for his bride, the power relations between the two sides are such that he can''t say no. She''s physically a tottering child, but in spirit she''s much older than her father. Even though she''s his wife, of course she can''t look at him like that. Angelica - while practically watching over Angel, we have established a good playmate relationship. Good morning to you: ...... Alec Shama: ...... That Angier woke up beside me. She always sleeps in the same bed, still half asleep, and her tongue is even more slurred than usual. Good morning Angel, do you want to go wash your face? "Alec Shakashatakosyo ga Isukashi ga Isukashi ...... Well, let''s go then. I pulled Angier''s hand and went out of the bedroom, which was large enough to be a playground, into the hallway. There was a maid, Amelia, whom I knew well. Amelia, one of the hardest working people in the house, bowed deeply to me. Good morning Miss Alec, are you getting ready for the morning?Let me help you. Don''t worry, we can do it ourselves. But first, you need to tell your father I''m going to say good morning later. Otherwise, your father will come over here. "The master is very fond of you, isn''t he? However, your father is a duke, and it would not be a relief for him to show too little dignity. "Oh ...... Dear Alec, what a brilliant man you are. ....... I get it!This Amelia, I''ll talk to your husband, Are you okay? "Yes!Just tell her the truth about Alec. If you tell the truth that Alec is the most adorable and handsome person who comes to greet you, the master will have to wait too! Snorting, Amelia makes an emphatic statement. I was almost pressured by the momentum, but you sounded like you''d understand. Okay, then, you''re in charge. "Yes! * In the afternoon, from this day on, the tutor began to be assigned. In a room of a house, two study desks and a blackboard. The young male tutor who had been assigned to me and Angier was enthusiastic. Then we''ll start with reading and writing. "Yes, nice to meet you. "Oh, please. I bowed, and Angier, who was sitting at the desk next to me, hurried to do the same. Then I''ll pronounce it first, and then you can read it. The tutor wrote the letters on the blackboard and read them with clear pronunciation. Angier and I would read them as we were told, imitating them. After the tutor taught us how to read, we were instructed to dictate the words in our notebooks. It''s new to learn letters from scratch, it''s been decades since I''ve done something like this. I take it easy, but Angier works hard. It''s so adorable to see a newborn baby doing this, I want to reach out and pat his head. By the way, this study room is not a closed room. It''s not the window that''s open, but the door. Through the open door, your father and mother are in the hallway, watching us as we study. What they are doing is a peeping Tom, but I can see it. They are both on edge, the normalcy of parental idiots. Then let me see what you wrote. After completing the dictation, the tutor retrieved our notes and graded them with a red pen. It wasn''t much, so I came right back. Wow, that''s a hundred. "Good for you, Angel. "Yes!Thank you!Dear Alec! Angel''s appearance was so adorable that she finally reached out and gave him a nudge on the head. Angier smiled shyly and prettily. I glanced at my notebook, the handwriting is so serious. It''s a talent to write beautiful handwriting, but I think it''s a human talent to try to write seriously. It will be interesting to see what kind of person Ange will become when she grows up. "Oh, Alec, you''re studying- My father came into the room. He asked me if I was studying in a very loud and confused voice. You want to pretend you just walked in. Let''s see, Alec''s score is ...... Your father''s expression changed. "What is the matter with you, father? "95 points or ...... No, enough for your first time, hmm. More than that, your handwriting is good, mm! "95 points? This is very surprising. There''s no way I could have made a mistake on a test that I''m teaching to a three-year-old. Father, let me see it. "No, this is Alec''s first test, first as an heirloom-- "Let me see. "Hmm, hmm? With a curious nod of his head at my unusually strong tone, your father handed me the notebook. I looked at the notebook. Where most of the answers were correct, there was an X. ...... teacher. "Yes, what can I do for you, Mr. Alec? This is the thing about these characters Yes, that was close. There is no splash there. No, splash. It''s a little old--and rigidly written. "Huh? A pompous tutor. As he listened, your father snatched the note from my hand. I nodded with a straight face, not in angry parent-idiot mode. Mm, you''re right, Alec. I''m going to be more intentional about writing this in my official documents. "Oh, really? It''s shallow and silly. ...... The tutor tries to cover it up with a dry laugh, while your father''s straight face momentarily but quickly reverts to parental idiot mode again. I didn''t know you could figure this out: ...... Alec is still a genius. "Let me see you "Mm! "Well, ...... this good handwriting, Alec is a clever one. "Mm!Such intelligence, I''d have no problem handing over the governorship now! "Yeah! No, you can''t. I was surprised to hear you say that, but then my mother chided my father. "I hope Alec will have a better childhood. It will be a while before he makes a name for himself in the world. I''m assuming that you want to make a name for yourself, mother. ....... Hmm, that''s true too. I''ll have to hang on for a few more years! No father, good luck with your decades, not years. You''re still young enough and if I''m not mistaken, you shouldn''t even be thirty years old yet. Anyway, it''s going to be an heirloom!No, let''s get the Church to recognize the holy grail. That''s a good idea. My parents said so and walked out of the room with my notebook. What do you mean, this is ...... strange. 3 02. A good person, I feel like Im going to jump to the next to him "Dear Alec!That bird is singing! It''s a very prosperous city that is both glamorous and cluttered at the same time. I''m six years old and Angier can walk around normally because this is Molek, where your father reigns, and he knows my face. Me and Angier taking a walk in a place that is like "our garden" in the broadest sense of the word. He focuses on a store, a bird shop with countless bird cages hanging from the eaves. That''s a mimic bird. What kind of thing is that? "Angel is so curious. You always have that twinkle in your eye when you ask me something. "Yes! When I pointed it out, Angier nodded with a smile that was nothing short of innocent. "I love it when you explain things to me, Alec-sama! "My explanation? "Yes! I chuckled a little. I was expecting you to ask me a lot of questions out of curiosity, but I laughed at the fact that I was wrong. However, I''m sure that anything that leads to knowledge is good, so I decided to explain it to Angel. Since we''re talking about a real thing, let''s show it to you. "Yes! Bringing Angier into the store. The store is full of elegant adults. Keeping birds, especially mimic birds, is considered an elegant thing to do these days. We were six years old when we stepped into the midst of those adults. Welcome--oh!Well, well, well, Mr. Alexander. "It''s Alec. Do you know me? Of course. I understand that you are his wife, Angelica. I''m still a fiance. I just want to show you what I''m capable of so that you can be a good wife. Can you show me some things? Of course. Say, come on in. The waiter led us to the back. Along the way, we were talked to by many people. As a born again child, I was a mascot, and this is how I was accosted when I went into town. After politely interacting with each person, Angelica and I were ushered to the very back of the room and seated together. Welcome Alec. The moment I sat down, another person came out. He looks like the owner of this store. "Thank you for coming to our store. How can I help you today? "Angel has never seen a mimic bird before, I promised I''d explain it to her, so bring me an obedient child. "I''ll get right to it. The owner bowed to me, and then bowed more reverently to Angel shortly afterwards, and then left to go get the bird. Excuse me, Master Alec. Why was that man more polite to me than Master Alec? That''s because I care about Angel. I know that people in these places would be more pleased if they treated Angel more respectfully than I do. "Hoa ...... "Sometimes it''s not. For example, if I say I want to show Angier that I''m cool-- "Master Alec is always good looking! Angier interrupted me with a bite. Thank you. When you realize that you want to show it more, you act more reverent to me than to Angier. "It''s a case by case basis, isn''t it? "Clever, Angier, I reached out and patted Angel''s head. I didn''t drink holy water and was born with the memories of my previous life, but Angel is just an ordinary six-year-old girl. The occasional flashes of brilliance are a great source of excitement for the future. Moments later, the owner brings the bird in a basket. "Here you go. Here''s a young pup that just arrived as an adult. Thank you. Is that normal? "Of course. Yes. Then, Angel, show me something to sing in front of him. "What?Wow, I am? Of course. Let me hear Angel''s beautiful voice. "Wow, I see. Ange shyly sings the song to him, and he shyly shows it to her. It''s a familiar nursery rhyme, but hearing Angier sing it makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Oh, I''m done. It was a good song. "Ugh ...... is embarrassing . But Master Alec, why do I have to sing? That''s it. ...... I turned my attention to the mimic bird in the birdcage. The bird and I made eye contact, still childlike - but with the hand of a child himself, and sent out a sign. It''s a command that every mimic bird for sale has in it. As soon as I sent it, the mimic bird began to sing. Her voice is clear and clean, just like Angel''s. Is this ...... me? "Yeah. It''s an Angel song. Mimic means mimic. See the monster mimic?It''s a monster that imitates a treasure chest. This mimic bird is a bird that imitates the songs of those who hear it. That''s right! Angel''s eyes twinkled, and her reaction was the same as her earlier self-declaration that she loves to hear my explanation. Yes, Angel''s voice is still very beautiful. I think so, Goodbye. I envy you, Master Alec, to have such a person as this as your wife. "Such a ...... Angier turned his head down, his cheeks turned sour, his face not quite as sore as it should be. I''ll take the bird. Ange, now I want to see you sing with her in unison. "Yeah!I will do my best for Alec-sama. Then-- I took a piece of paper from my pocket. On it is a piece of parchment bearing the sigil of my Carlyle family. On it I write the date and the fact that I am buying a mimic bird and my signature - Alexander Carlyle''s signature. This is how a nobleman shops, and the shopkeeper takes this to the house to get paid. I''m the eldest son of the Carlyle family, so of course I could make a promise. But I make sure to leave a testimonial on everything like this. I write it down, make sure it''s correct, and then hand it to the owner. ...... ... What''s wrong with you?Is something amiss? No, I''m just impressed with your handwriting. Forgive me, but I don''t believe this is the handwriting of a six year old. It could be called the master''s handwriting, not surprisingly. I''m very impressed with the master''s handwriting. Thank you. Suddenly, I felt a glance from right beside me. Angel has a happy and proud look on her face. Even though he''s smart, he''s still only six years old. I already forgot what I said earlier, that in some cases he would lift me up. Well, it''s cute, too. I received the mimic bird and left the store with Angier. The Carlisle residence, the master''s office. "Mmmmmm. "What''s up with you, Oh, it''s you. Is Alec back? "How are you doing? "No, I need to write a letter of reply to my Earl Raymond. Earl Raymond is an important person to me, I wanted Alec, who is already a much better writer than I am, to write to me. It was. Oh, I can''t wait for Alec to take over the reigns. I''m sure Alec will further expand our House of Carlisle. Don''t do this, my dear. You have to put up with this for another ten or twenty years. Do you want to be a disappointment to Alec as a bad father? "Ugh!It''s no good. Mmmmmmmmmm. ...... I guess we''ll just have to stick with it. "Yes, good luck with that. Okay, then I''ll just have to work on the text until Alec comes back. "Good evening. 4 03. Good people, magic amount ranked SSS In the garden of the mansion, I was taking lessons from a magical tutor, along with Angel. Now that we were both six years old and had become reasonably fit, we were going to begin our magical lessons. "Okay, so let''s start with identifying the Baron''s and Madam''s strengths, yes. My tutor, who was nearing middle age and in charge of magic, cut him off with a rubbing hand. Angier tilted his head and looked at me and the man in turn with a look of confusion on his face. "What''s that, genus? It''s about attributes like fire and ice. Yes, magic is more efficient when you know what your strengths are, yes. How do you do it? "Yes, I''ll use this pond, yes. The tutor is half-heartedly, "Jang! And showed us the pond behind us, like. "A pond? "Yeah. It really doesn''t matter. Pouring magic into an object can change its nature. But the most changeable air is hard to see, and easily visible objects such as stones and trees are hard to change if you don''t have enough magic. That''s why water is the easiest to change and see. I taught Angel the basics of using magic. Yes, that''s right, the Baron, yes. The tutor complimented me with a rub and said to Angers. "Yes, then ma''am, please take this and stand by the pond. "This ...... magic stick? Ange received a magical walking stick as long as chopsticks with a star-shaped object stuck to the tip. The ease with which you can use magic is greatly influenced by your mental strength. It is a well-known fact that when you teach a child, this kind of magic stick with a star shape is the best way to get into the mind and use magic. Angel, like other children, receives the magic stick and stands by the pond with an excited look on his face. Following his tutor''s advice, he passes the magic stick through the pond - or, rather, pure magic - and releases the magic into the pond. As if you can hear the onomatopoeic sound, a waterweed grows in the middle of the pond. Oh, the grass has sprung up. "Yes, your wife is probably best at healing magic, yes. "He''s a cure, Mr. Alec. "Good idea. If I get hurt or something, I''ll ask Angel for help. "Yeah!I''m going to try to get better at magic! She''s a lovely, enthusiastic Angel. She''s a straightforward character, I''m sure her magic will improve quickly. Okay, now the baron is next, yes? "The stick is fine. "Yes, that''s the Baron, yes. I did not receive a walking stick. It is the child who does not know magic that needs assistance. I have memories of my pre-reincarnation days. The age of my mind and memory is considerably older than the tutor in front of me. This degree of elementary magic, no need for a walking stick. ...... Rather, the use of a walking stick may be more difficult. It''s akin to how difficult it is for an adult who has learned to walk properly to be asked to waddle around like a baby. I stood in front of the pond, closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was good with fire before I was reborn. The first time I checked, the water must have been a little warmer. I''m not so sure this time. My memories carry over from before I was reborn, but my body is completely brand new. My eyesight, for example, is much different. Before I couldn''t read a book without my glasses. Now I can even see a man standing far away in the mountains as a lumberjack. I''m not so sure about the magic. I open my eyes and, as if I''m used to it, I let the magic flow into the pond. "What? "............ Angel''s startled voice, the tutor''s exclamatory breath. I heard both at the same time. I wondered what''s going on. Oh, there''s no water. ...... What was once a pond was now just a gaping hole. There''s not a drop of water in it, it''s completely dried up. What does this mean ......? Yes ...... No, yes The tutor got a little flustered. ''Yes, may I test you again, yes? "Yes. Nodding, the tutor hurriedly ran and brought the servants of the house. The servants, who came in large numbers, fetch water in buckets and fill the pond again. Yes, then, Baron, once again, please, yes. The tutor, Angel, and the servants who fetched the water. As the multitude looked on, I once again poured my magic power into the full pond. Again, in an instant, the pond ran out of water. ''What is this attribute, doctor? I couldn''t figure out with my memories of my previous life, so I asked my tutor. "Yes, perhaps the Baron''s magic is too great, yes. "Too huge? "Yes, I think the water could not withstand the change and disappeared, yes. "Wow, that''s great, Alec! Angier was innocently pleased, and the servants around him cheered, "Oh! I was too small for this pond after all. I was too small for this pond after all, only that my magic power was off the charts and my attributes were not discernible. 5 04. A good man, the strongest Since you can''t measure magic with pond water, I decided to use a stone next. A stone as big as my six-year-old head was prepared. The stone was placed on a platform at just the right height where you can reach out horizontally and touch it. Well ...... father?Mother? Unlike earlier, when it was just a class, my father and mother were looking at me behind the stone, in what would have been a special seat in the theater, with their heads down. "We''ve come to see Alec''s big day. "The sunny look is too good, it''s just a measure of magic. But Alec is measuring his magic for the first time. I want to see my child grow up, so I want to see him take his first steps properly. Your father, who is very direct in everything, and your mother, who has a good reason for doing so. Either way, they seem to be ready to watch the game. Come on, let''s see it, Alec. "Hang in there, my Alec My parents'' fervent gaze plus cheering. In resignation, I reached out and touched the stone. I did the same thing, poured my magic power into the stone and watched it change. Take a deep breath, pour the magic into it, and the next moment, it''s gone. Mm, it''s gone. You''re gone. "Same as before, Mr. Alec. Parents and Angers react to each other. I looked around to be sure, there''s no rock anywhere. What does this mean? My father asked his tutor. ''Yes, I believe that the baron''s magic was so strong that he made the stone disappear as well as the water, yes. Oh, that''s Alec. But it''s troubling, because it gives me no idea how much magic Alec has. "Hmmm. I know Alec is great, so I''d like to know how great he is. Your father said with a straight face. "Is there any other way? "Yes, no, not at all, yes. Say it. "Yes, you can use the gold, yes. ""Gold?" Your father, your mother, and Angier''s voices overlapped. So that''s how it is. What''s this all about? Gold is the metal with the most stable properties. Gold is the most stable metal in terms of its properties. Moreover, unlike other metals, gold is flexible enough to endure many things. It is used to measure people with high magic power because it is hard to change and yet strong. "Yes, yes, yes ...... What''s up with that?Did Alec say something wrong? Father narrowed his eyes just a little bit as he asked the magical tutor with a bitter look on his face. "Yes, I didn''t tell the baronet about it, but I wondered how he knew about it, yes ...... "What''s that? That''s because it''s Alec. That''s not the reason, father. "I should have more gold than that, shouldn''t I?I guess it should be the same size as the stone I just saw. "Yes, that''s okay, yes. My father immediately ordered his servants to prepare the gold. The Duke of Carlisle''s mansion is full of gold and silver treasures, and a mere bar of gold could be ready in a matter of minutes. It was placed on a table, just like the stone from earlier. Are you sure this is correct? "Yes, that''s it, yes. The tutor nodded clearly. ''Yes, there is no one in the history of the world who cannot be identified by this, yes. Okay. Alec, you have to try. I understand. Father, mother, Angel, and the tutor, and more servants than before in the gold procurement. With the gallery growing even more, I put my hand to the gold. One deep breath--releasing the magic. "Yikes! I heard a scream that did not belong to anyone. At the same time I suddenly covered my eyes with my hand. There was a rush of light, a golden light, bright as the sun. What was this? What happened? "Dear Alec! A little later, I heard various voices. A little later, the light died down. "You okay, Alec--Whoa! What''s wrong with you, father? "There''s no gold. "Huh? Look at the platform in front of you, the gold has disappeared without a trace. What does this mean? "Yes, no, yes ...... The tutor is speechless. ''You already have the answer, don''t you? "Hmm?What does that mean? "Alec has also erased the gold. He has erased the gold, the most magic-resistant substance in existence. In other words-- You mean, the most powerful in the world! Father huffing and puffing, Mother smiling gently. No, it''s ...... it''s ....... I couldn''t say what it was about. I remember before my reincarnation, I am an SSS-rank, and I know that there was an option to become a god. The magic power of an SSS-ranked person might be comparable to that of a god, and I couldn''t deny the phrase ''the world''s strongest'' right away. "That''s great, Alec-sama, the world''s strongest. Even Angier got a glint in his eye and it was infuriating. "Oh, yes, I remembered something. It happened so suddenly that I forgot about it, but I knew I had to do it. With that much, a lot of people could be helped. Don''t leave it off. I close my eyes and feel the presence of gold in the air. The presence of gold that I just erased. I''ll work the magic. Very simple, the magic you are asked to learn at the same time you check your magic. A spell that restores the last condition of what was altered during the witchcraft test. Then. Sir Alec!The gold has returned - oh, could it be Alec? Angel, a smart girl, noticed that I was closing my eyes. What!Oh!I''m really back, wow, really Alec! That''s amazing. I forget, but wouldn''t it take twice as much magic to restore an altered object from the magic test to its previous state? "Yes, that''s right: ......, yes. The tutor becomes more and more speechless. Father, mother, Angers and the servants are all excited that I have returned the gold. Later, on your father''s orders, the entire dukes'' power was gathered to search the documents and archives. I found out that there was never before in history anything with such magical power to annihilate the gold. Not the most powerful in the world, but the most powerful ever. Your father was more and more delighted. 6 05. Making the stone of the good and wise At night, in my room. I was training in magical control. I placed a pile of stones on the table by the window. Each stone was about the size of a knuckle. Take one of them and fill it with magic. You are training to remember the direction you want to go and the amount of magic needed to change it. If you just pour your magic power in without thinking, you''ll be the best at this kind of change, but of course you can change in other directions as well. I''m training for that. Oops, another failure. The stone in the palm of your hand has become metal. From the luster and texture, it seems to have turned to copper. It''s a mistake, considering what I''m trying to change. I have a tremendous amount of magic left over. I''m being driven around on a wild horse without the reins. I want to be able to control an unprecedented amount of magic, one of the strongest in history. No, you have to become one. You''ve got a huge amount of magic and if you have too much of it, you''ll have a problem if you lose control. That''s what I''m training for. Take the stone and put your magic in. The stone is now iron, and you''ve failed. Pick up the next stone and let it work its magic again. A little adjustment and now it''s silver. You failed again. And so on. Eventually, you created the gold you wanted. I scavenged some random stones from the garden and turned them into gold by magical transmutation. Gold of the exact same size. You put it down and take a new stone. I did the same thing, and it turned out to be gold. By changing things up a bit, you now take the silver and add magic. Yes, it''s now gold too. That''s right, you have to learn to do it the other way around. Now the successful one, the gold created from the stone is enchanted. The gold is now back in stone. I got the hang of it, I took all the stones on the table and turned them into gold. The gold piled up on the table could buy a few houses or hundreds of slaves. It comes from a pile of stones--for free. I''m home, Master Alec--huh? Welcome home Angel. You''re wearing pink pajamas today. It''s cute. "Thank you, Mr. Alec. Angel smiled happily. She was slightly uptight from the hot water, and had changed into a pair of loose-fitting pajamas to sleep in. Normally, she''d crawl into bed afterwards and sleep until morning. Angel naturally noticed the gold piled up on the table. Can I get you something to eat, Alec? No, I was just practicing my magic. "Practice magic? "Yeah, like this. I took a gold one and put it in the palm of my hand and held it out for Angers to see. Then I put the magic in. Let the gold transform into matter. First a stone. "Wow, the gold has turned to stone. "Then lead, copper, iron, silver and also gold The original stone on the palm of the hand changed dizzyingly. Each metal shines differently, but the shape remains exactly the same. I thought it was a strange sight, but it seemed to me that the stones were blinking in different colors. Wow, that''s great, Mr. Alec! It''s not enough to have high magic power, you have to be able to control it. "Yes!That''s right! I smiled and put all the practice objects on the table back from the gold to the original pebbles. I''m getting used to it, and in no time at all it will be all turned back to stone. Why are you turning to stone, Mr. Alec? "It''s not a very good thing to make gold out of stone, Ordinary magic can''t do it. Creating gold from base metal has been dreamed of by various wizards throughout history. They managed to do it with SSS-ranked magic. So this is a secret between me and Angel. Don''t tell anyone that I can do this. Then, with a wink, Angier clenched his fists adorably with both hands and said, "Yes! "Yes, sir!I will not tell anyone, ever. "Thank you Angers "Oh, Master Alec, there''s one more gold left in there. "Let''s see which one is true." ...... In the lump of a stone, there is one gold that was forgotten to be put back. Gold is rarely in the form of a stone. It''s usually in the shape of a gold coin, a gold nugget, or some accessory. This is the kind of form that, if you let it exist, a person with good instincts will notice. Thank you Angier, that was really helpful. "Ehehehe ...... With a beaming grin, Angel. I worked my magic to turn that gold back into stone. Suddenly something flashed in my head. A flash, even to myself, a flash of inspiration, but I don''t know what it was. But the word "wow" was the only word that remained clear in my head. ...... I tightened my grip on the stone again. I was transformed in the palm of my hand, but I returned to my original intentions and wrapped my hands in a praying gesture to put the magic in. Pack in magic, pack in and change. Unlike the daytime, when you didn''t know what to do, you put an enormous amount of magic power into it, but you''re careful not to make the original substance disappear. A rampaging horse and very complex reinsmanship. Like saying "go" and "stop" at the same time. Be meticulous in keeping the pebbles from vanishing. The stone was like a sponge that kept sucking in my magic. My palms grew hot in my hands, as if I were holding a small sun. Eventually, weakness and dizziness overtook me. A sensation I had in a previous life, the weakness of exhausting my magic. It''s one of the strongest, SSS-ranked magic in history. I poured it all into the stone and transformed it. Open your palm and there is a stone with a strange color and an overwhelming presence that you''ve never seen before. "Master Alec, is that ......? Maybe, but I''m skeptical myself, but it could be so. No, it must be so. In the same moment I had an epiphany, I remembered the name of this stone. Perhaps this is the legendary-- "Philosopher''s Stone, I guess. I may have made something amazing. 7 06. Vocational training with stones of good and wise men "What is the Philosopher''s Stone? He tilts his head and asks, "Angel. Well, it''s hard to explain, but ...... in a nutshell, it''s every wizard''s dream. "Are you dreaming? Yes, you can magically change matter and remake it into something else, and that''s when you get the idea to make something of value out of something that has no value. "Uh, ...... Angier tilted his head further and looked annoyed, as if he wasn''t sure. That''s true. Angel loved sweets. "Yes. "Yes, this I took a rock and magically turned it into a candy ball. It was much easier to turn a pebble into a candy ball than it was to turn it into gold. Try it. kuku kuku. Angier''s eyes twinkled and he shook his head again and again. The daughter of a quasi-baronet, the eldest son of the duke''s wife. Angel was happy, but she was also subtly well-bred, not speaking with an object in her mouth. I continued to explain. You''ll be happy when candy comes out of rocks. A philosopher''s stone would make any wizard very happy. But they''re so difficult to make that no one seems to have ever succeeded in making them. "Gokun. You made it, Master Alec! Surprised, Angier gulped down his candy balls and asked, "It looks like and it seems to be real. It looks like ...... and apparently it''s the real thing. "Alec-sama awesome ...... but Alec-sama "Yes. "What exactly can ...... the Philosopher''s Stone do? "Yes, ...... for example. I asked the Philosopher''s Stone. No words came back, but I sensed a kind of will. I followed that will and used the stone. I took a pen and paper from the room and wrote out a figure that came into my mind. Like a branch, the diagram is full of people''s names. Angier, who had been quietly watching what I was doing, was surprised to see his name written at the end. "Master Alec, what is this? "It''s a family tree of Angers. "A family tree?Oh, your mother and father''s names above me. Yeah. You''ve gone back five generations. "Could those above your father''s name be your grandfather and grandmother''s names?But your father was born an orphan and didn''t know his parents, which is now an eternal mystery: ...... Yes, he''s an amazing person who used being an orphan as a springboard to become a baronet in one generation. This is the power of the Philosopher''s Stone. This is the power of the Philosopher''s Stone. "Su, wow!That''s a great thing! Yeah, it''s great. But it''s hard. "Is it difficult? I nodded. While I was explaining to Angel, I kept asking the Philosopher''s Stone in my mind - I tried to use it, but it turned out to be a bit of a lazy horse. It seems that the Philosopher''s Stone has all kinds of knowledge, but I have to find it by myself. Do you know about the Royal Library, Angers? "Yes!It''s a library with all the books in the world that was built by His Majesty the Emperor, Yes. Whenever I make a ''book'' in the Empire, I have to deliver one to the Royal Library. I suddenly remembered the time of my rebirth six years ago. The moment the previous emperor, who was judged by an angel to have gone to the extreme, was to be reincarnated as a D-ranked pauper. The emperor was a common type of tyrant, one whose life could be explained by "treason" for 90% of his actions. The emperor alone is credited with founding the Royal Library. His work in preserving the world''s knowledge made him a commoner with a D grade. Without it, he might have been reborn as a daphne or something. Be that as it may, I''ll explain further to Angel. "It''s like trying to find a book in the Royal Library, drawing knowledge from the Philosopher''s Stone. "It''s hard!Even the mansion''s library is difficult. Angel is a serious person and quite studious. He frequents the mansion''s library, so he understood my metaphor right away. Yes, it''s that hard. Using the Philosopher''s Stone. But. I took another piece of paper. I took another piece of paper and wrote down on it more information I could pull from the Philosopher''s Stone. "What is this, Master Alec? All the names of healing magic that have existed throughout history and their effects. "Healing magic! Angier''s eyes sparkled. She became interested in it after she found out that I was good at healing magic. She stared at the paper I gave her as if it was her first picture book. "...... Dear Alec. "What is it? "Isn''t there a magic to bring people back to life?There''s a lot of magic, and some of it is written that no one can use it anymore, but there was no magic to bring people back to life. That means there was no resurrection magic. I see. Convinced, Angier again stares at the note I gave him. Here''s another sneak test of the Philosopher''s Stone. Resurrection magic is as much a wizard''s--no, a human''s dream as the Philosopher''s Stone. It''s as much a dream of man as it is of immortality. Information on that resurrection magic, enumerating the existence of "every healing spell that ever existed in history," turned out to be non-existent. Philosopher''s Stone, I''m beginning to understand what it can do and how to use it. If you ask the right questions and use the right keywords, you can draw all the information about the world anytime, anywhere. That seems to be the case. Stars The next day, I went into town with Angier. As usual, I went around town and bought some clothes for Angel, handing him a signed testimonial on a piece of parchment. Are you all right, Angier? Would you like me to carry it for you if it''s too heavy? "It''s okay!Not too heavy!A gift from Alec, I want to have it myself! I see. We could have had it delivered to the mansion, of course, but after trying it on in the store, Angier happily held it in his arms and wouldn''t let it go, so we had to take it home ourselves. So, where to next... Don! I bumped into someone on the side and stumbled a bit. "Oops, sorry about that, It was a boy of about fifteen or six who bumped into me. He apologized to me and then walked away. "Are you all right, Mr. Alec? It''s okay, Angel. . ...... What''s going on?Did you hit something after all? "No, not like that, but ...... I looked for the boy as he walked away. I caught sight of him just as he disappeared around the corner. Here I come, Angel. "Huh?Oh yes! I followed the boy, taking a puzzled Angier with me, wondering what was going on. Around some corner, in an alleyway that was a little dim even in the daytime, there was a boy. If only this could be ...... I can''t use it on you. "Nah! The boy was startled and turned to us. Oh, that''s Alec''s testimony. Angier surprised. Yes, the boy has a piece of parchment that I give to the witness as a testimony when I shop. When I bumped into him, he took it with him, so he''s a pickpocket. "Hey, I don''t know what you''re talking about! You may have seen me shopping with it, but it''s a free piece of paper unless I give it to you and I sign it. The "become-- The boy was fuming. "I don''t want to hear it! I didn''t tell you. So give it back. "Humph!I don''t need this garbage! The boy slammed the parchment on the ground. "The little bastard who doesn''t even know what he''s doing. You spit those words out, return the kibisu and walk away. Wait, you don''t belong in this town, do you? "Do you understand, Mr. Alec! Yes, you have a southern accent. You''re a southerner. This is something I brought with me from a previous life. If you live long enough, you will see that even though we speak the same language, each region has its own accent. That''s a given. Dear Alec, that''s great: ...... Angier was impressed by that. "I don''t know! You''re a floater from the other side of the war. It''s fine, but you shouldn''t be picking pockets. Bad deeds will come back to you. If you do that, you will have a hard life in the next life. "--Ha!Like a kid knows what to do! The boy snapped up and came at me with his fists clenched. "Bind Used magic to restrain the boy''s movements. I used it often in my previous life. But it was much more effective. Each of the boy''s hands and feet was wired with a halo of light, locking him in place. What the hell are you doing? "If you hit me, it''s a sin. "I know!When you do it to a rich person like you, the crime is even heavier than usual, right? It doesn''t matter, as the son of the duke and himself a baron, I can only forgive one thing: no assault. But that''s just the laws of the human world. The laws of the human world. If you do anything wrong, the judgment of the afterlife will be tougher when you die. It''s out of our hands. "What''s that look of pity in your eyes?You don''t know what we''ve been through, you dimwits!In the land where we came from, we can''t do anything because we can''t do anything, so we have to work! "Can''t do anything, huh? I thought about it for a bit and made some sort of plan. Let''s go, Angier. "Yes, Master Alec--she''s with him. Are you okay? "Don''t even think about following me!You''re taking me where you want me to go! Bind, controlling the circle of binding magic. I moved the boy''s limbs over here and forced him to follow me. We walked down the main street and entered a nearby store that I''ve been to a few times. Welcome--Oh, this is Master Alec and Master Anger. Is there a seat? "Of course!Would you like to see the view? I''ll be fine, just sit in the back. "Okay. Let me show you around. Follow the guide of the clerk who knows my face. This is a coffee shop, a place where you can brew right in front of you with proper tea leaves. I follow the clerk into a private room in the back. Angel and the boy follow me into the room. Me and Angel sit down in the chairs and the boy lets them stand up. "Do you want to order something? One set of tea and a proper tea set. More hot water. "I''ll get right to it. The waiter bowed and left the room. A few moments later, tea leaves, a set of tea utensils, and a kettle of boiling water were brought in one after another. Some of the tools are new to me. "What are you going to do, Mr. Alec? "Yes. I nodded and questioned the Philosopher''s Stone, which I had made sure to keep close to my person, and drew the knowledge from it. I simulated it all in my head and then turned to the boy. "Make me a cup of tea. "Huh?You don''t have to do anything - you don''t have to move people''s bodies! The boy rants, but ignores and manipulates his body. "First fill the pot with hot water to warm it up, discard the water once, and then put in the tea leaves. I brewed a cup of tea by manipulating his body while explaining to the boy the information I''d pulled out of the Philosopher''s Stone. "You think you can humiliate me like this? The boy ranted, but ignored it too. I''ll go through the steps and then. Remember? What? That''s the manner in which only those who serve the upper classes know how to do it. "Well, how? If you can do this right, you can get a job in a rich man''s house somewhere. "...... Stunned boy. ''Couldn''t remember it all?Then I''ll go again. Wait, wait. What the hell kind of thing are you doing? The guideline in this case is the degree of steam in the pot, but that''s not a rule of thumb, and it''s a taste preference of the drinker, so you can learn as you work. Ignore him and show him how to make more tea. The bewildered boy becomes calmer and concentrates on learning how to make the tea properly. Finally, I unbind him and let him make the tea himself. He seemed to be a good learner, and he did just as I taught him. If he really couldn''t remember, I could hire him at the house, but I didn''t think it would do him much good to set him up that far. So I was a little relieved to see how well the boy remembered. Oh, thank you. ...... The initial pushy attitude became subdued, and when the boy understood my intentions, he was blunt and thanked me, even though he looked away a bit. I hope this will help him get his life back on track. 8 07. The Good, the Soul Relief It has already been a year since I got my first Philosopher''s Stone. With the philosopher''s stone from which all knowledge can be drawn, I no longer need most tutors at the age of seven. I''m graduating, so to speak. To this day, I had spent the morning training with Angel in the garden of the mansion with the knowledge I had drawn from the Philosopher''s Stone. In front of me, there are seven balls floating in the air. Each one is a different color. Red, blue, green, yellow ...... and similar shades to the rainbow. They''re magic spheres that have a huge amount of magic inside them. Touch them floating in the air, put your hand and turn them with a snap of your wrist with your magic power. The magic spheres will float in the air and rotate at high speed. As the rotation comes to a halt, the magic ball can no longer keep a perfect circle and becomes distorted. By adding more magic power to it and turning it, it is kept spherical. This is a magic training method called "ceramics". The person''s strongest attribute is released into the air, and the magic is turned to shape the sphere. The method allows you to train to release magic and control it at the same time. Next to me, Angier is spinning the white magic sphere as well. His rotation is not as good as mine, and it''s still a bit awkward, but he''s doing quite well for a seven-year-old. I''m controlling seven of them at once. Fire, Ice, Wind, Earth, Earth, Light, Darkness, and Nothingness. Keep the magic spheres round for each of the seven attributes. It''s a gap! Suddenly, with the spiritedness and call of the hakuhachi, something startled me. You can hear the sound of wind slashing as well, it''s apparently an attack with a two-handed sword, a kind of Zweihander. You have to reach out and guide the spinning red magic sphere with further rotation. The red magic sphere and the flame-attributed ball are placed on the track of the slash. I heard a sizzling sound and my two swords melted into the magic sphere like butter. The attack never happened again, and I looked at him a little dumbfounded. "What are you doing all of a sudden, father? "Hahahahaha, that''s my Alec. Father tosses down the large sword, which is only a third of its original size, and laughs loudly with his hands on his hips. The way a triumphant person laughs, it''s too lazy to do it in this situation. "Good morning, father-in-law. It''s a pretty common sight in our house, as evidenced by the fact that Angel is with us and is not at all upset. "Mm, good morning. You''re doing well. Father looked at the white magic ball that Angel was spinning and nodded with satisfaction. "You''re turning it much better than I was when I was seven years old. "Thanks to what Alec taught me, "Well, hmm, you''re right, Alec. They say that geniuses are notoriously bad at teaching, and that doesn''t seem to be the case with Alec at all. "But don''t go charging at me, father. The servants are watching and so are your father''s guests. It would be a badge of honor for your father to be seen doing this. "I see! Dad looked away and huffed. Thank goodness he understands! "Inviting the Emperor to do this inadvertently will naturally show off Alec''s genius!I didn''t know it was possible! No, father, I''m saying no. That almost made me sigh a little. If left unchecked, my father could really make it happen. He''s a good lord to his people, but when it comes to the ''Alec Appeal'' thing, he''s a different person. Good, it''s just the time for the emperor to go on vacation. Good, it is just the time of year for the emperor to enjoy his summer vacation and I must appeal to him to come to our Carlisle estate! Father said this and ran into the mansion with even more vigor than when he was ambushed. ....... ... Let''s see. Your Majesty, this really could be coming. . The City of Molek. I was out on the town with Ange, as usual. I enjoyed seeing the many faces of the curious Angier, so I walked around with him almost every day. Ah, ...... "What''s up Angel? "This ...... Mr. Alec With a frightened look on his face, Angier pointed to a wanted poster pinned to the outside wall of the building. He pointed to the "serial killer ......" that was pinned to the wall outside the building. I see. You killed ten people. I''m afraid, Master Alec. Yes. I''ve seen the handbill. It''s got a description, too, of a pretty thug. This is ...... not to be overlooked. "Mr. Alec?What do you mean, it can''t be overlooked? "I mean every word. I''ve got to do something fast. Otherwise, it''s going to be very sad. I''ve got a description of a man, a thug who killed ten people. It''s just a matter of time before he''s caught, though. I strongly felt that I should butt in before that. . At night, I was walking through the streets of Molech by myself. The goal, of course, was to use myself as a decoy to lure out a serial killer. I talked to the city''s security forces, and it seems that they are working on the women and children, like a street witch. Then I''m the best person for this, so here I am, walking the streets alone at night. What? I was walking carefully, but as soon as I passed one of the men, who passed me without thinking, went behind me and put his hands around my neck and tried to pull me into the darkness. I felt a sharp, cold sensation on my neck. Definitely a blade. To avoid collateral damage and getting people involved, the man dragged me unreservedly into the alleyway. "Ha ha ha ha ha! The man stopped and began to laugh. I glanced over my shoulder, the same face I saw on the handbill. "Hey, why do you do this? "Meat, ...... meat, meat, meat, meat, meat, meat-- The man''s bloodshot eyes pushed the knife further into my neck. I can''t get through to him. Then there''s only one thing I can do for him. "Meat meat--what? The man peeled his eyes away and was taken aback. I quickly slipped out of the arm around his neck, took a few steps, and turned to face the man. The man stared at the blade he was holding with a look of disbelief. The blade is now just the handle, and the blade is melted almost like butter, and is now sloshing on the ground. That''s as far as it goes. Any more and you''ll have to wait until you''re human again (). "--whooooh! The man slashed at me, wielding a small piece of the blade that was left over. I shook off my hand carelessly. A red magic sphere -- the magic sphere that I created just before and which melted the man''s weapon -- flies with the swing and trajectory of my hand. It grew explosively larger on the way, engulfing the man''s entire body and melting him in an instant. The man who was mauled without a trace, not a bone remains. He probably didn''t have time to feel any pain from what had been done to him, and he died. I saw a chunk of metal that was the man''s blade, left on the ground. I remembered the misdeeds of the bad guys and the reincarnation I had witnessed when I was standing in line before my reincarnation. If you kill ten people, you only need to kill the animal once. The man wished that the next time he was born a decent human being. 9 08. Meeting the Emperors Fate "Stop! "Hmm? On this day, as usual, as I was out on the town with Angel, a swordsman''s voice jumped into my ears. I turned my attention to the voice. A girl was being tangled up with a man on a main street full of Molech residents. The girl would be about 16 years old. She looks strong, but she''s an impeccable beauty with a good nose. The guy on the other hand is probably around 20 years old. The face is well-groomed here too, but it''s a pity that the frivolity prevails. The man is hitting on her with frivolous and conventional phrases and the girl hates it. It''s a bad pick-up job. Passersby are either watching from afar or just ignoring you. "Master Alec, we have to help him. "Yes, let me help you. Angel doesn''t leave my side. And keep your healing magic ready to use. "Yes! Cheerful lovely Angel. With her in tow, he goes towards them. "Why don''t you just leave it at that? "Get out of my way--you''re a kid. It''s a decade early for a child to be on the right side of the street-- "Sleep. Don''t waste time talking back and forth. The magic of sleep quickly subdued him. The man collapsed in an instant and began to sleep in the middle of the main street, making a lantern and breathing in his sleep. I''ll deal with the man later, I wonder if the girl who was tangled up with him is okay. When I turned to the girl, she was staring at me with a very serious face. What''s wrong?There''s something on my face. "No, it''s nothing. Thanks for the help. That''s a disaster. Are you hurt anywhere? "Yeah, I''m fine. He just grabbed my wrist. "Oh, the wound on my wrist. When he fell, his claws scratched at you. Not a big deal. "Angers "Yes!Mmmmmm. ...... Heels! Angier stepped forward and held out his hand to the girl. The result of his training with me. With a very practiced hand, Angier cast a healing spell on his opponent. The red scratches on the white skin healed quickly. Meanwhile, I decided to work on the man. I held out my hand to him with a lantern and chanted a spell. "The Climbing Cuffs. The magic learned, drawing knowledge from the Philosopher''s Stone. The spell became a pattern of light and formed a loop on the man''s right wrist. At first glance, the loop looks like a bracelet. Then he took a piece of parchment and a pen from his pocket and wrote on it as if it were an official document. The bracelet on your right hand is magically made and tightened if you try to commit a crime. I''ll have it off after a year and you can come to the house. I filled in the effects of the magic handcuffs, the climbing cuffs, and signed my name as baron and put them in the man''s pocket. At about the same time as we finished, Angel''s healing spell ended. Good job, Angel. "Ehehe. ...... Angier grinned happily. . My name is Eliza. Thank you for your help earlier. You''re welcome. I''m Alec and this is Angel. Nice to meet you. We left the scene where the girl was involved and went into a nearby coffee shop. After saying her name, Eliza asked me. "But you''re still a kid and you can do hard magic. "You know what?That thing. I''ve never seen it before, but I know it''s advanced magic. I know it''s a long-lasting spell. I see you''re looking forward to it. Eliza is right. Attack and healing spells are not too difficult, so to speak. Also, magic that fundamentally changes the nature of things isn''t the most difficult. Magic that works and maintains the "magic effect" for a long time is the most difficult. How long does it last, that one? It''s permanent. "Persistent!"? Eliza is astonished. "I knew it would last, but I didn''t think it was permanent," is the response. ''''Yes, it''s only going to go away if the person dies or I can disarm it. It''s a spell that prevents you from doing bad things, so it needs to last as long as possible or it won''t work. "I guess it''s as magical as ...... rumors say. "Huh?What did you say? It''s nothing. Eliza mumbled something in a depressed tone, but when she heard it, she was kind of coy. "You gave him a trial right out of the gate, Yes. I''m the son of the Carlyle family, the lords of this area. I''ve been helping my father with that lately. "You mean you routinely judge bad people?With that magic. Yes. Not my intentions. Yeah, it''s a pain in the ass. They should just throw the guy in jail. It''s not so good. Why? "Do you know about the Afterlife Judgment? Of course. You know, the theory that after you die, you do a statistic of your life''s good deeds and bad deeds to determine your reincarnation rank. It''s not a theory. I actually went through it, being reborn as Alexander Carlyle without having my memory wiped out due to a minor mix-up, so I know it''s not a "theory" or anything, but it''s a fact. It''s easy to put people in jail for their crimes, but that''s depriving them of the opportunity to do their good deeds and get their books in order at the Last Judgment. So you''re going to release them into the wild to convert them. "Yes, that''s what that magic is for. It reacts to bad things you do and stops you. If you keep doing bad things, the worst thing you can do is tear your wrists off. But it doesn''t matter, some people only do bad things.I don''t care if my wrists are torn off or not. "People like that are ...... sorry, but it''s best to kill them. "Can I kill you? "Before you repeat your misdeeds It reminds me of the bandit who killed 461 people and was reborn as a daphne. If he had been killed at the time he killed the first one, he would be a pauper in his next life, but he would still be human. If I''m born again early, I should be able to reset my memory and personality. So I think it''s better to kill (stop) the helpless evildoers as soon as possible. I have a strong sense of helping, not judging. Hmmm. What is it? You don''t sound like a child. Maybe. I chuckled. I couldn''t help but talk about it. Normally I try to act like a child of a certain age, but for some reason, with Eliza, I talk more seriously. "And I''m a much better person, How about that? It''s not a compliment, because it''s a way of thinking that hurts. Good people usually have a lot to lose. I see. That might be true. But I think that might be a good thing. Eliza chuckled. "But I like it. Really? If we were closer in age, I would have made you my girlfriend. Thank you. Even if it was flattering, I was kind of happy. . On the way home after parting with Eliza. I saw Angel walking side by side with her, somewhat dazed. "What is it, Angel? Eliza. I thought she was very beautiful. Do you think so? Yeah. You had such beautiful eyes when you were talking to Alec. That''s right. I see what you''re saying. Eliza said I wasn''t childlike, and I was thinking the same thing. She looks like a girl of about 16 years old, but her mental age is a little older. I could be like that. Those are the eyes of someone who, for family reasons, has stood on the family''s financial backbone since childhood. "Really?Uh, a struggling person? Yes, someone who has taken on an unwanted hardship but is not rotten. . precious. That''s right. ...... It''s a beautiful thing, but Angier will have a different type of beautiful eyes if he keeps this up, so don''t go for that one. Yeah, okay. I''ll do as Alec says. Good boy. I patted Angier''s head. Angel laughed, and then looked at me with begging eyes. What''s the matter with you? "Dear Alec, I wonder if I can help the man ...... in any way. I see, you responded to the "I''m taking the trouble" part, Angel. Yes, I will help you when the time comes. Yes, yes! "Angel is a good boy. Your next life will be better too. "Really?!Then I want to be with you in the next life, too! Ange''s uninhibited favor is a bit irritating. Want to hold my hand? "Yes! Returned to the mansion hand in hand, together with Angier. The usual walk, a peaceful time. It was like a cleansing experience. It all went away as soon as you stepped onto the grounds of the mansion. It''s a gap! With a shout from the shadows, my father slashed at me with great force. He was wielding a huge sword even bigger than his own body, made for slaying horses on the battlefield, and he was attacking me. I quickly created a magic ball of fire. I let out my magic power and spun it in the air at great speed. With a high-speed spin, the magic ball instantly curled up to meet your father''s great sword. Just like the other day, the magic sphere melted the great sword like butter. ''''Mm!That''s my Alec. You have easily combed through the custom-made Orihalcon products. Orichalcone, what are you doing to make it out of such a super rare metal, father? "Hmmm. Father grinned and quirked the corners of his mouth in a proud manner. I was horrified. I had a bad feeling. "If we invite the Emperor to do this, we can inadvertently show off Alec''s genius! I distinctly remembered your father''s words the other day. The exact same form of ambush, but with a higher grade of the rare metal orichalcone. Could this be--" "Father, I''m afraid so. Father, I''m sure you didn''t really do it, did you? "It''s not going to happen!I''ve done to my Alec, there is no way that I could have done that. Are you sure? He turned his skeptical eyes to your father - not to mention his confession. "Hmm. . if there is one, it''s the ''I gotcha'' one. "...... I thought it was worse than that. You''re a convicted felon! This is ...... coming. It''s definitely coming. And they''ve been seen. They''ve seen your father appealing to "my Alec". I should have stopped him harder. I never thought you would actually pull the emperor out. Sometimes words are no virtue, father. This is a good son, Lord Carlisle. I''m sorry. "And he''s too old a son to be Sir. Had you been born into the imperial family, you would have been a great ruler instead of me. "You are absolutely right! I heard a dignified voice from beyond the father. Ironically, the irony of my being lifted up pleased my father greatly. I couldn''t help it, I thought I''d better say hello. "Huh?Eliza sister? "Huh? Surprised by Angel''s words, you look again at the one on the other side of the father. It was Eliza, the one you helped in the city earlier. 10 09. A good man is liked by the emperor Elisabeth C. Forsyth. . and it would be a meandering step for me to dare to call myself that. ....... "Baron Alexander Carlyle. It is an honor to receive you. I leaned my head back reverently, following imperial etiquette. In front of me is undoubtedly the Imperial Emperor himself. My father would not joke about "bragging about Alec". Even if he was right in front of you, a beautiful girl who had just walked down the street without a valet and was being picked on. This must be the real Imperial Emperor that your father has been proud to invite. "Lift your head, my lord. "Ha! "You have a good son, Sir Carlisle. He''s quick and accurate in his assessment of the situation. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, Alec''s true awesomeness is nothing like this. "How? "Eventually we will be an Isaiah for His Majesty. Please don''t raise the bar any higher, father . Prime Minister Isaiah. He was renowned as the right hand of the emperor Korin who built the golden age of the empire. Many historians agree that it was actually Isaiah who created the golden age. That will be interesting. The emperor smiled and smiled. Please don''t take your father''s word for it too literally. Moving from the garden into the mansion, he entered the parlor. Although he was a guest, the emperor was seated on the throne. Your father and I stood for a moment. "Sit down. And then sat on the throne. Incidentally, I sent Angier back to his room. Formally, the duke and baron - a nobleman has an audience with the emperor, so I asked Angier to leave so as not to be rude. "Lord Carlyle, is this a place where we can talk in private? Of course, of course, there is no one in my family who does not spare his tongue. I see. His Majesty nodded, but did not seem to be satisfied with your father''s answer. Confidential story ...... then "With your permission to use magic "Mm, forgive me. With Your Majesty''s permission, I cast a spell over the entire parlor. The magic of sound insulation. From inside to outside and from outside to inside. It''s a spell that blocks out both sounds. For a moment, my ears went "deafening. It wasn''t just me, and I saw that both you and Your Majesty scowled for a moment. It''s all right, no sound will escape. If there is an explosion in this room, only a silent tremor will be heard outside. "Wow, Alec, I''ve never heard of a spell that completely prevents sound leakage. "Fifty years ago the mage Trevor excelled at this magic. It is documented in the literature. "I see!Hmm. That''s my Alec. Your father''s usual sickness began. Your Majesty, on the other hand. Well, let me break it down a bit for you, then. And not the tone of the Imperial Emperor Elisabeth I, but the tone of the girl Elisa, whom I had just met in the city. "Are you sure? It''s okay, it''s easier. "I see. A sixteen-year-old girl, albeit an emperor, is ....... Now, don''t you have something to say? Your Majesty--Eliza looked at me with a mischievous smile. ''I must confess, you startled me. After checking the muffled sound, I decided that this process, with some real intentions, was okay. "Why were you in town without an escort? "Lord Carlyle always said that he was interested in you. I wanted to see who you are and what you think for once, regardless of your position. "I see. "Maybe Sir Carlisle was right about the great man. I can see why he sends me a letter once a month bragging about it. "What are you doing, father! I yelled out. My father was slumped beside me. "I just wanted to show you how wonderful Alec is, don''t you? "I don''t mean to ask you to describe the content! What are you really doing? "But I''m really glad I did. You know my position.It''s hard to hear the real truth when you''re dressed up in authority. It''s ...... right. "So I have a favor to ask of you, "What is it? Defeat. "Defeat? A disturbing word has come out of nowhere. "How much do you know about the Prior Emperor ...... and my father? Eliza asked me a question that is very difficult to answer. I could jokingly tell you what I saw in the other world when I was reincarnated as a pauper. Eliza interrupted me, hoping to silence me. Maybe the next life would have been better if I had died sooner. "Yes, I should have done what you say, ''I''ll kill you early,'' and that''s all I had to do, Your Majesty. What about it? Due to the misrule of the previous emperor, small-scale rebellions have broken out in various parts of the empire. We''re trying to put them down each time, but it''s a game of cat-and-mouse. Come to think of it, your father said something like that when you were born. Maybe the inner workings of the empire are rather rickety. "You''ve shown me your magic. My father chuckled next to me, absolutely. "We must quell the rebellion. I understand. "It''s a quick answer. If it''s just a rebellion, but in this kind of thing, if you become a bandit, those people will continue to do bad things. I see, you''re right. Eliza nods. "Thank you. After we put down the rebellion, the land will be yours. Lord Carlisle asked me to give you the land. Father ...... Staring at your father with disgusted eyes. Really, that''s enough. Where do you want me to put down the rebellion, by the way? "Do you know what a fairy hill is? Yes, it''s called the Kingdom of Heaven, a fertile land where dukes are downgraded to petty officials but still want to be sent, and where there is an astonishing amount of bribes flying around to do so--no way. Yes. Eliza smiled at him. ''There it is. "How did you get me there ...... "Didn''t I just tell you? Eliza grinned even more. She liked you. ....... What''s going on here. 11 10. A good person, I like it even more The office of the mansion. Eliza was sitting at the desk usually used by her father. "............ I heard your father spit in his mouth next to me. I know how you feel. Just before Eliza''s previously crushed demeanor, she sat down at her desk, picked up her pen, and straightened up. The air became stern. The Emperor, Elisabeth Shih-Forsize. Even without the authority of her clothes, she is the emperor without a doubt. She flicked her pen and then pointed the tip of her index finger with the knife she had prepared. A drop of fresh blood dripped from her fingertip - and stopped in mid-air. The emperor chanted the incantation with a stern expression on his face. The red blood spread and became the imperial crest, printed on paper. It''s a magical stamp, a less-than-advanced spell that can only be used by a special bloodline, and is used to prove the emperor''s charter. Eliza rolled up the imperial edict, tied it on a string and gave it to her father. "Please, Lord Carlisle. "Ha, leave it to me. Father left the room with the imperial letter in a reverent manner 180 degrees different from his usual manner. What is that? It is a royal decree ordering the Imperial Guard to go into battle. Eliza rose from her chair, her tone and mood instantly reverted from Emperor to Eliza. The speed of the switch was disturbing, but now I was more concerned about the imperial letter. ''''Going into battle?Wasn''t that what you wanted me to do? That''s right. The rebellion, the rebellion, we''ve had the guards take them out many times, but it''s been a long time coming without any decisive results. "If that''s so ...... why did you order me to go to war? "The guards will be sent out as usual. In the meantime-- Eliza looked at me and grinned mischievously. "Use your trump card to take out the enemy''s general''s head at once. "...... I see. It made me want to look up. I thought I''d be forced to lead an army I''d never even tried before when I heard the word "suppress the rebellion," so I was relieved to hear that I wasn''t. But this was too hard a mission in our case. You know. The High Bear region, also known as the Fairy Hill. The center of all commercial activity in the empire, the land that alone accounts for 20% of the empire''s tax revenue. It''s also known as the Heavenly Domain because it''s governed by the Empire itself and not by the nobility. Near High Bear is the fort of Kulau. The rebel-occupied fort was about to be attacked by the Heavenly Guards. Eliza and I are watching from such a distance that people look like peas. It''s happening. You''ve started: ...... Now, I wonder what they''re going to do about it. Isn''t that exciting? I do? Eliza simply said, "What do you take for granted? He made a face. "Lord Carlisle has told me how great you are, and I''ve heard so much about you that I''m going to hear about it. Then you''ll want to see what it''s really like, won''t you? "Father ...... I hate you. ...... I sighed, and then regained my composure and straightened up. "Just to be sure, I''ll be able to sneak in and get the rebel leader. "Yes, I do. I don''t care if you kill me. Either way, under Imperial law, rebellion is punishable by death. I see. One more thing. Are you coming with me? Of course, I''ll make sure I see it with my own eyes. Eliza, who answers immediately, as if there is not an ounce of doubt in her mind. What would you do in this situation?I felt like I was being told. I thought for a moment and made a magic sphere. You release your magic and turn it into a sphere. It''s now a yellow, earthen magic ball. I''ll make three of them. What are you going to do with them? I''ll do this. The magic sphere was sent to the ground while spinning. As soon as he touched the earthen magic ball, the ground was fried. It was like melting butter with a hot knife. The ground is gouged by the magic sphere without any resistance. What is this? The stairs, just watch your step. Digging towards the ground, making a staircase with the magic ball of earth. At a depth of about three stories below the ground, when you can no longer hear the voices above, you start digging horizontally. I was digging with the magic ball. His speed is the same as my normal walking speed as a child. "So you''re digging underground. Yes. ." "This will allow you to get into the fort in the middle of that melee. "Where do I leave from ...... is the place okay? "It''s okay. Once he stopped, the magic ball flew upward. The magic sphere flew straight up to the ground. A light shines through the hole that leads to the ground. "I''m going to keep track of where I am like this. "I see. He put the magic ball back in and, again, dug a hole. But ...... I''ve never seen anything like it. That''s amazing. "This digging? "How is it normal to go on digging? It could be. I chuckled and dug further. I sent the magic ball upward at a certain distance to confirm my current position. Eventually the underground passage passed through the outer wall without incident and entered the basement of the fort. Now you have to gradually dig your way upwards to get to the surface. After climbing the hill, a hole dug by a magic ball of earth led to the surface. Am I in the ...... building? For all we know, this is the finest building in the fort. Maybe this is where they are. Okay, then, let''s go. Smiling at Eliza as she turned and left the underpass. Outside, there was an echo of angry voices, screams, and the clash of metal. We proceeded inside the infiltrated building. This way. "Yes. Eliza strolls forward and I go with her. A building like this, used by a central figure in some group, shows a pattern in its structure. For the sake of command, for the sake of dignity. They are all built in the same place. Eliza and I both know that pattern. So we walked forward, and we came to a very fine room. I can hear him talking--that''s it. What''s going on? I''d like to hear what you''re talking about, preferably unnoticed. Then I''ll do this. Using a magic ball of dirt dug out of an underground passage. Like a hot knife, the wall is chipped away evenly. The heavy doors and walls were chipped away, leaving only a plank for a relief. And you can hear the voices inside. It''s about time. Well, now that we''ve achieved a certain amount of success, it''s time to pull out. "I''ll send a chase after you just in case. If they find out we''re doing a fixer-upper, it''ll ruin everything. I know, just do it right. "Oh. The conversation is over. There seems to be two men in the room, and the sound of one''s footsteps approaches. Then the door opens. Hmm?What is a child here--you! The man dressed as a nobleman first tilted his head at the sight of me, a child, and then flinched at the sight of Eliza. "Hey, Your Majesty. Why are you here? "Lord Fleming, what was that all about? "Yes, it''s ...... The nobleman called Fleming became impatient, and in an instant, his fat sweat began to trickle out. "Hey Fleming, who are those guys? "...... I don''t know about the children. This is the Emperor. "What? The other man is surprised. You betrayed me. ...... is not a plane. That means you''ve been swept off your feet and found out about it all. Fleming made a pained face. Eliza''s face grew increasingly grim. ...... hand-tied in a play. Why should you do that? The cost of the war. I explained to Eliza. Even in defeating them, there is money to be made if you send an army. For example, you could report a man who isn''t dead and have his family members receive a fraudulent bounty for reporting him as dead. Of course he gets it, but these people can cut out the middleman too. And then when they cool off, you get them to enlist again, and then you defeat them, and then you fake their deaths again - a kind of alchemy. "...... Lord Fleming Eliza--the emperor''s voice dropped two octaves. ...... Phew, it can''t be helped. "I know. Do you kill it?Or do you want me to kill you? "Don''t worry, I won''t mess with you. Their eyes, the words became a dangerous thing. I''m going to kill them. Surely killing them now would be the right choice, since it would make things go away. "I''m sorry, but now that this has happened, your majesty will have to go into hiding. "...... I''m sorry! Fleming drew his ornate ornamental sword from his waist and swung it down to Eliza without hesitation. Eliza did not move - I moved. With a magic ball of fire that I instantly created, I melted Fleming''s ornamental sword. The magic ball that even melted your father''s orichalcong''s greatsword. Fleming''s sword blade vanished without a trace in an instant. Then he creates the black magic sphere. It hits the two men. They were surprised and bewildered by my magic and thought I was a child, and then the magic ball struck them. --Thud! The two men fell down like a puppet whose strings had been broken, unable to move. What''s this? "Life force, well, physical strength, but it''s something that can be snuffed out. It''s not physically damaging at all, but it''s got to be as exhausting as running for an entire day. What''s that, I''ve never heard of that kind of magic? "No way!Such advanced-looking magic by such a child! The two of you are astonished. I don''t think this is the time for that. Sure enough, Eliza takes a step forward. She stands up straight, with her emperor''s face. She looked down at them with cold eyes--especially at Fleming. "In the name of the Imperial Emperor Elisabeth Shih-Forsize, I declare. FLEMING Luz. He is hereby deprived of all titles and rights. * In the tunnels. I, magically transporting them both unconscious. I used a magic ball of clay to rebuild the tunnels. Now no one can come behind us and we can escape in peace. All that''s left is to take the two of them back home and let the emperor take care of everything, and we''re done. Eliza, you''ve been staring at me for a while now. What''s the matter? "Thank you for your time at ...... . It was helpful. It''s just a normal thing to do. This is the first time someone has saved my ...... life. "It''s better to never have a life threatened. It''s better not to have been rescued. "...... I say jokingly, Eliza stares at me more closely. "What''s wrong? "Uh-uh. . nothing. Eliza turned away, her cheeks turned away. What the hell is wrong with me. 12 11. A Good Man Becomes Vice-Emperor With the capture of the traitor Fleming, the self-made rebellion came to an end. Rather than suppressing it, I was treated as having uncovered Fleming''s plot, and I was told that I would have a formal audience with His Majesty, as well as a reward for my services. For this purpose, I came to the imperial capital with Angier and stayed at the residence of a man who is a friend of your father''s. Oh!Bowes is the crown jewel of Carlisle? As we entered the mansion, a bearded, strong-looking man greeted us. He was muscular and loud as a gong. He''s the kind of man everyone would think of as a hero. I bowed calmly and politely. "It''s a pleasure, Mr. Hossen Chohi. My name is Alexander Carlisle. This is my bride, Angelica. "Ha, nice to meet you!My name is Angelica! Angier tried to say hello as well, but he was still a child as he looked. He was so overwhelmed by the bearded maniac that he bit off the greeting. Hahaha!Don''t be nervous, I ain''t taking no bites. You can talk as you normally do. "Yes, thank you. "But I see. ...... Horsen plucked his chin, bent down, and stared at me intently. "Bowles is Carlisle''s greatest treasure. Well, he''s got a nice look on his face. "Well, what''s this ''Carlisle''s Treasure'' thing? "Hmm?Oh, I don''t know Bowes. Every time Boz''s dad comes over here, he brags to everyone that he''s the best son in the world, so I just call him that. "Ha, ha! What''s your father doing!And I was going to complain. My father would have done that. If your father did this to the Emperor--even to Eliza, how could he not do it to his noblemen? "I''d appreciate it if you wouldn''t use the Carlisle''s treasure. I''m still a novice, so I''m ashamed to hear you call me that. Oh, yeah. Well, that''s just a way of teasing Carlisle, and it''s the same as you''d use for Bowles. I know what you''re trying to do, maybe to tease your father, but I''m not teasing you. "I''m not a Carlisle treasure, I''m an Imperial treasure! I can see your father getting angry with you, saying, "I''m going to call you Bowles. I''ll just call you Bowles. Thank you, Mr. Hossen. Ha-ha-ha, Hossen laughs and takes us to the guest room. There were maids and servants in the back, but Hossen led us to the room himself. "Here, now, here''s the best guest room in the house". Thank you, it is a very nice room. If there''s something you''re missing, just ask. But then again, I''ll have a gift from His Majesty soon, so I don''t need anything. Loud, but utterly carefree, and with a good sense of humor. He must be a simple man in the best sense of the word. Hossen Chohi, the most renowned warrior of the empire. Maybe he''s as good as he looks. By the way, Boz, is this a good idea? Hossen then gulped and tipped a finger loop around his mouth. It''s a classic drinking gesture, not something you hear from a seven-year-old. That said, I''m an imperial baron, I do socialize. Just a little. I hope to be able to drink like a man when I grow up. "Yeah, yeah, a man should be. Bowes, go out with me for a minute!I''ll borrow your husband. I''m sorry Angel, I''m just going to go. "Yes, have a good day, Mr. Alec. Angel sent us off, smiling. She''s intelligent and has the knowledge to study hard to be a good baroness. When the general invites the baron to go somewhere, he knows that the only right way is to send her off with a smile as a chaste wife, so he does it. I was accompanied by Hossen and came to the dining room of the mansion. Wow, what a magnificent dining room. An honest impression came out of my mouth. The dining room of the Hossens'' house was more than twice the size of the Carlisle house. The long and narrow table was only for one master on the side, but it was so long that more than fifty people could sit in a row. Oh!I''ll have my guys over for a little party! "I see. The scene was vividly imagined. The most famous warrior, strong personality, drinker. I''m sure it''s going to be quite a mess, every time. ...... I took him out just like you asked. Suddenly, I overheard Hossen looking out of the dining room and muttering something to himself. "What''s the matter, Mr. Hossen? "Hmm?No, it''s nothing. Hey, get me a drink. Hossen ordered, and within ten seconds the maids were bringing in the drinks and food, one after another. I noticed a maid with salt in her hand. It''s good salt. I feel like I could drink all night just from this. "--Oh, oh, oh! Hossen peeled his eyes away and grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. I''ve always thought you had a dynamic personality, but this is the most exciting thing I''ve seen since I met you. Did I say something bad about ......? You know what I''m talking about. You know what I mean. Meat and delicacies just fool your tongue and ruin the drink. You know that, you''re a child. I was a child at ....... I was a child. I was a child of only seven years old. I usually think I know what I''m doing, but I just did it. I''ve been drinking and salting since I was an old man in a previous life, so I just blurted it out. Hossen stared at me. What''s wrong, Mr. Hossen? I love it! "Huh? "I love it, Alec. Hosen said and patted my shoulder. Honestly, it hurts a little bit, but it''s more than that. Not many people can say that. Not many people can say that. "...... eeeeee! What are you talking about, brother-in-law? There''s an age difference between me, who is seven years old, and you can call him grandfather. And he''s your brother-in-law. It''s just a joke, Mr. Horsen. No, I''m serious. If you don''t like your brother-in-law, then marry your daughter--or your granddaughter. "Ehhhhh! I scream again. Carlisle''s stingy. You''re such a good son, why don''t you just introduce me? ....... ............. ................... I caught a glimpse of your father. It seems that he rather seriously liked me. There''s going to be another one like him. I had a feeling that there would be another one like him. While Alec and Hossen are about to make a pact of brotherhood in the dining room, a girl comes to visit Angier, who was waiting in his room. "Hey, Your Majesty! As soon as the girl entered the room, Angel rose with a start and stretched upright and immobile. The person who comes in is Elisabeth C. Forsize, the Imperial Emperor himself. But as before, she''s dressed in civilian clothes and is Eliza. "Don''t be afraid, it''s just the same as before. "Yes, yes. Well then ...... Eliza? "Yeah. I''m sorry to bother you. I came to talk to you. "Okay, I''ll get Mr. Alec right away-- No, not him, but Angela. That''s why I asked Hossen to take Alec out. "Really? ...... Wide-eyed and amazed Angel . The bright head wondered what the emperor could do for him ...... and the bright head wondered. You are his wife-to-be, aren''t you? "Yes!I love you, Mr. Alec. Eliza flinched for a moment at Angier''s carefree smile. ...... I''m going to ask you honestly. What would you think if a woman came along and said she liked him? I''m so happy! Angel to answer immediately. Again, a momentary flinch, Eliza. "Happy? "Yes!I would like to get to know that person. I would like to get to know him and talk about the wonderful things about Alec with him. "Really . . any jealousy? "Jealous?Hmmm, I''m not sure. The more I get to know you, Alec, the more I love you so much that I can''t think of anything else. It''s making me neglect my studies. Angier looked a little dejected, "I don''t think I feel jealous. "I don''t think I''m jealous. So ...... the more you know, the more you like it, the more you can''t think of anything else. Eliza looks a little pensive and thoughtful. A few seconds later, she looks up. She''s back to her normal, positive, girlly expression. Thank you, it was nice to hear that. "Yes. I''m going home for the day. Don''t tell Alec that I''m here. Should I not tell you? Yes, I want to surprise him. I want to make him happy. "I get it!Never say never. Thank you. See you later. "Yes! * It''s been a few days since Hossen pushed me into a desperate struggle to become his brother-in-law. He took a great liking to me, and it was a feast and a feast. Sometimes it was his men, sometimes it was his acquaintances, the nobles in the imperial capital. Every day he would invite different people to the banquet and introduce me. It was like having another father figure like Hossen, no joke, preaching to me. I''m a little relieved that we didn''t have that today. Audience day for the emperor. As expected, even Hossen couldn''t throw a banquet that day. I would have been nervous to have an audience with the emperor, but I was so relieved that I didn''t feel nervous. I walked into the palace and came to the audience room, dressed in the formal attire of a baron. On the throne was Eliza. Unlike before, she is clothed in the clothes of an emperor. She exudes an aura of dignity that is almost as strong as the aura of the emperor. The red carpet leading to the throne, flanked by nobles and ministers on both sides. I followed the etiquette and had an audience with the emperor. This was a great work. "Grateful happiness I will make sure you are rewarded for your work. Whatever you want. "As Your Majesty wills. It''s also part of the etiquette. Don''t be foolish enough to express your wishes just because the emperor tells you that he will do everything. It is rude to give an opinion to the emperor. So I reworded "anything" into aristocratic language and said it. I said, "Okay. Now Alexander Carlyle. "Ha! "I confer upon you the rank of vice-emperor. "A full stop? I cocked my head at the unfamiliar words. There was a buzz around me, a momentary delayed groan. What the hell does that mean?And I sought knowledge in the Philosopher''s Stone, which I carry close to my skin. Knowledge that knows the language immediately came back to me. Vice-Emperor. Vice-Emperor. It is one rank above the Prime Minister, the highest position one can give to a non-royal person. Whoa!That''s my brother-in-law! One of the ministers, Hossen, rejoiced so loudly that the audience room echoed. People around me were even more buzzed and looked at me with envious eyes. "For my sake and for the empire. Work harder and harder. "Grateful happiness I bowed and looked up. Your Majesty--Eliza was looking at me with passionate eyes. No, the surprise was greater than that. No way, Vice-Emperor. Gold and treasure and one promotion from baron to viscount. I had all kinds of expectations, and I was wrong. I thought we''ve been blessed enough. But there was more to life in the SSS ranks than I could have ever imagined. 13 01. Good people, I didnt count beyond 1000. The palace courtyard. I let the man go away, and there I was alone with Eliza. Eliza walking in front of me. Dressed in imperial garb, she exudes a dignity unimaginable at her real age. A girl who seems to have been born to be an emperor. That''s what Eliza thought as she stopped in front of a flower bed and turned to me. I want to rule the empire steady for a long time. Eliza''s tone of voice was serious as she began, "I want to create a stable world and restore the backbone of the empire that the previous emperor tried to shake. I want to create a stable world and restore the backbone of the empire that was almost shaken by our predecessors. That''s what I want to do. "Yeah, I think we should do it. What do you think is the most important thing for that? "...... would be. I can answer as many questions as I want if I wanted to, but the only right answer is in Eliza. I just throw back the questions as they come at me. My heart, my right hand, my sword. Longevity is the equivalent of a man. Do you know much about history? ...... Yes, it seems that a change in prime minister often causes difficulties in the political arena. The memories of previous lives and the studies I had done since I got the Philosopher''s Stone. Those knowledge led me to answer Eliza''s question immediately. Yes, that''s why I want someone who''ll be with me for a long time. Someone who''s going to outlive me, who''s smart, and who''s got a good heart. That''s why they made me the vice emperor. Eliza nodded clearly. Okay, that makes sense. But is that really what you want. Will I be the vice emperor of this world? Yes. Yes. And if you''re married to the Vice-Emperor, it''s more than fair. "Huh?What did you just say? While I was mulling over the heavy responsibilities that would be imposed on the vice emperor, Eliza mumbled something. I heard it back. ''Hey, it''s nothing!I''m just talking to myself. Eliza blushed and cheated. You''re talking to yourself. "Yes, more than that. Eliza coughed to regain her composure and looked at me with the same serious eyes she had before. "Can you help me? Are you sure it''s me? "I want you. You''re the only one--in a double sense. I couldn''t hear what she said at the end because her voice was too quiet, but still . I could tell that Eliza''s will was strong, that you were the only one who could do it. Yeah, I get it. Thank you. Eliza smiled. She smiled. She was both an emperor and a girl of her age. She smiled with an expression that was both. It was so charming, and it was a smile that was enough to make me want to help her. "Oh!Welcome back, brother-in-law. When I returned to Hossen''s house after leaving Eliza, I found that people were coming and going in and out of the house, and the servants and maids were busy. "Master Hossen, is something wrong? A gift. "Present? Yeah, it''s all a gift for my brother-in-law. "...... I see, what''s up with the inauguration of the Vice-Emperor Think about it for a moment, and the situation becomes clear. When a person wins the lottery or gets ahead in life, he or she will suddenly have more friends and relatives. This is the same, but when you''re the deputy emperor, you can''t just come to them right away, you have to start with a present to put them in a good mood. But it''s still amazing. "Oh, look at this. "What is this pile of mail--an invitation to attend a party? I took one of the envelopes and looked inside. It was an invitation to a party written in decent letters on decent paper. A formal document or invitation has to have clean handwriting or it is rude. Beautiful handwriting is a golden art in itself. Such clean handwriting, I believe, is enough to feed a family of ten people without inconvenience. Naturally legible, I read the invitation with Hossen. "We happen to be having a party and invite you to come. "I see that''s a coincidence. I know it''s not possible. No such coincidence at this time. It''s definitely something that is open to invite the vice emperor (me). "That''s a lot of them, too. How many are there? "I''m not counting beyond a thousand! "What? Hossen to fuss. I asked because there are a hundred envelopes in the pile, but it was far more than I expected. So there''s some things you don''t see here. And then this one came in, too. Then beckons Hossen. Another maid brings a stack of envelopes as well. "What''s this? "An arranged marriage. ." "It''s an introduction to your brother-in-law. I see, this one is pretty straightforward. And it''s still a lot. "I''m not counting beyond a thousand! "So much!I can''t do that much wife! You are a nobleman, and you may need a vice-chamber because you are a vice-imperialist. Among the nobles, the more well managed a vestibule is, the more valued it is. For the sake of lovely Angel, I thought that would be possible in the future - but not this one. I can''t have so many of them! "Really?I think my brother-in-law can afford it. "What?What''s that buy? By the way, Carlisle once said, ''I''m going to bring back the wedding night tax for Alec. The entire territory is practically my brother-in-law''s wife. "What are you planning to do, Father! By the way, the wedding night tax, which literally means that you can either give up a woman''s wedding night or pay a tax in lieu of it, is still practiced by some noblemen, even though it''s not part of the Carlisle family''s territory. "Well, the number is reasonable, but there are too many normal girls, and not enough for my brother-in-law. You can burn them. Yes, sir, and the maid left with a sealed envelope of the blind date. Hossen''s buying spree is as impressive as his father''s. These things are here too. Is there more? The next thing the maid brought in was also a pile of enclosures. What now? Home. "Home? "It''s all about doing the house in a nutshell. "You''re too straight!And this can''t be ...... "Oh!I''m not counting beyond a thousand! "Too many! If we got it all, we''d have a thousand more houses. It wouldn''t be house-ownership anymore, it''d be street level. Well, houses and mansions are too cheap for my brother-in-law. At Hossen''s command, the maid left with another pile of enclosures. I took a deep breath. I''m in big trouble. "At first it might be. What to do?Do you want to stop being a Vice President now?A man like my brother-in-law, he''s not fit to be a vice-emperor, so still-- "No, I''ll do it. In my head I was remembering Eliza. Her determination, her ideals. Remembering that, I was determined to do my best, even if it was a little hard. "Oh!That''s my brother-in-law!That''s what men do. "Yeah, I guess so. "Ah!My brother-in-law''s face is so cool right now. Hossen used words like a young man. It suits him well. Okay, then I''ll handle all this stuff from now on. "Are you sure?Isn''t it hard? Haha, not a big deal. If you want to send your brother-in-law something, all you have to do is ask him to tie me up in a fight. That''s a hard game to play, isn''t it? I chuckled. The greatest warrior of the empire, Hossen Chohi. I wonder if there is anyone in the world who could beat him in a fight. So don''t worry about it. If anyone has the backbone to really challenge me, that''s all the better. Hossen lifted the corners of his mouth. It''s a look that I''m really looking forward to, as he self-declares. If that''s the case-- Yeah, okay. Please. "Whoa!I got it! Hossen laughed even more happily and gaily. 14 02. Good people show super sophisticated magic The next day, I was called by Eliza and headed to the royal palace alone. I was ushered into the same place as yesterday, the ornate garden. Eliza, who was waiting for me there, seemed to be dressed to the nines. Not an imperial dress, but a beautiful dress for a girl of her age. I couldn''t help but notice the beautiful dress worn by the beautiful Eliza. It''s beautiful, isn''t it? "Yeah, so?It''s not like I''m wearing this everyday. For some reason, Eliza was blushing and her voice was hoarse. There is so much charm even if you behave like that. You can''t help but gawk at it, it''s rude to be summoned. I pulled myself together and asked Eliza. ''What''s going on today?Call me or something. Eliza cleared her throat and composed herself and said, "I want you to be the principal emeritus of the school of magic. "I want you to be an honorary principal of a magic school. "Magic school? "Don''t you know? I''ve heard of it, but not in detail. "Yes. Eliza smiled and explained. It''s a school on the outskirts of the city that trains mages and wizards. It is thoroughly away from the capital and the city so that you can practice your magic to your heart''s content, and there are dungeons with monsters nearby for real battles. "Sounds like a pretty spartan place, Well, that''s tough. You mean, you''re going to be an honorary principal. Why? When I asked, Eliza lowered her tone a bit and continued with a straight face. It was also built as a fortress to which the emperor or his heirs could flee in case the city was ever overthrown by a coup or rebel army and rebuild their forces. It''s the last bastion of the royal family, so to speak. I see. That makes sense. He''s sending me, his second-in-command, because I''m his last lifeline. Eliza wants me to be her long-lasting right hand. I understand. But what do I have to do to be an honorary principal? "First you show your face, then you go to the seasonal events . That''s all you need to know. Is that right? "If you''re in the position of vice emperor. "Okay. I''ll take care of that. Thank you. Eliza smiled happily. After all, the dress looked good on her. . On the outskirts of the city. I came to the witchcraft school on a carriage. It was just as Eliza described. It''s called a magic "school," but from a distance it looks like a fort hidden in the open air. It has the advantage of being on the ground due to the difference in elevation and a water source nearby in case of a siege. There are also bridges and other structures that restrict the route of travel. Even at a glance, you can see that the castle was designed with great care and consideration. The carriage continues on and arrives at the school''s front gate. A group of adults are waiting for you. The group, which consists of nearly a hundred men and women, are lined up in an orderly line on the school grounds, beyond the main gate. I jumped off the carriage. An older man comes running toward me. He is of average height for an adult male, and his body is shaped to look down on me as a mere seven-year-old, but he is bent low at the waist. "My name is Ethan Handred, Headmaster of the School of Wizardry. "My name is Alexander Carlyle. It''s a pleasure to meet you. Who are the folks over there? "Yes, we are the teachers of our university who have been informed that His Highness the Vice-Emperor will be joining us. If we can arrange an introduction later. "Yeah, okay. Then go inside the school. Ethan said and half turned and gave way to me. I walked out and was about to go through the front gate. Hmm? Why is Ethan grinning at me? What does that look mean--. "Huh? As I was about to dodge, the thought of Ethan''s expression flew out of my head. I couldn''t help myself. I tried to walk through the main gate, but I couldn''t get through. With a faint crackle, sparks flew, and an invisible wall prevented me from getting through. The word "warding" popped into my head. I see, indeed, a fort. Not only is it the last lifeline according to Eliza, but it''s usually in a nearby dungeon where students are practicing magic. I''m sure the monsters will come after them. With a place like that, you need a warding that covers the school grounds for safety. But I know we need a warding, but we can''t get in there as it is, so I made a magic ball on the spot to break the warding and get in. Paleen. After hearing a sound like glass breaking, I was able to easily pass through. What? I heard a voice filled with emotions of surprise. When I looked, I saw that all the teachers who had gathered there were looking at me in disbelief. I wondered why, and I immediately recognized ....... It''s a boundary to keep the monsters out, and it was a bad idea to crack it without thinking. I need to fix it (). I drew the knowledge of wards from the philosopher''s stone that I carry with me everywhere. Let''s make the wards stronger, so that only the monsters can be rejected and teachers and students can pass through easily. Draw knowledge from the philosopher''s stone and develop your mind on how to make the wards. You''ve re-scaled the warding over the entire school, making it stronger than usual. When you''re sure it''s secure, you turn to the principal. "Headmaster Ethan! Yes, yes. What do you want? I''ve re-walled the entire school so that only teachers and students can get through, but I''ll show you how to prove to the teachers and students later. I said so, and let the pebbles disappear by walking in and out of the main gate, letting them touch the warding in the same way. I proved that only teachers and students can pass through the warding, but... What! Raptured Ethan. I can''t believe it, oh my god. I can''t believe it. Well, ...... did I do something wrong? I wondered, but Ethan wasn''t the only one who reacted strangely. Hey, who''s the guy who suggested that I embarrass a decorated kid who''s going to be an honorary principal just because of his connections? "More than that, the wards protecting the entire school in this moment?It''s impossible for all of us to do that. "You guys listen to me more, only teachers and students can get through, you know. I''ve never heard of wards that can sort out targets. "Isn''t that a bluff? The buzzing teachers. For some reason, they all looked annoyed. So, it''s not just teachers and students who come and go at school, is it? ...... So, it''s not just teachers and students who go in and out of schools. Especially this fortified school, there are also those who bring in and out supplies, such as rations and weapons equipment. These wards won''t let them through. I asked the Philosopher''s Stone again. We just have to play the monster. Let humans and animals in, only hostile monsters. I''ll draw such a warding from the stone. It takes a lot more magic than this. That''s roughly ten percent of its magic. Moreover, you''ll need to undo the last one, so you need the magic to do that too. It''s kind of like I''m losing money on the cheap. But I have to do it. I first lifted the current wards and then set up new ones. The wards, which would be classified as sacred magic, became a thin, golden, dome-shaped, visible warding that only played monsters. The dome-shaped warding became clearly visible and easily enveloped the entire school grounds. It''s back up, so now humans and matter can pass through, and only monsters can be prevented ......? The principal, Ethan, and the assembled teachers. Everyone looked at me in disbelief. Did you do something wrong again ......? 15 03. The Good Man Resuscitates Legendary Magic The teachers were buzzing. I was curious, so I asked the principal, Ethan. "Why are people surprised? "Yes, well. I did not expect that the Vice-Emperor''s magic is so powerful. Perhaps more than any other teacher in the school: ...... No, you could find no one in all the wizarding schools in the Empire who is more powerful than His Highness. I was surprised by that. The explanation made sense to me. According to my father, my magic power is the greatest in history. He said my reincarnation before my reincarnation was also "SSS-ranked" and that I could actually become a god. If you''re surprised by that, it makes sense. I also got an idea. Let''s take advantage of that. For Eliza. I pulled a very conscious face, looked at Ethan and the teachers, and said, "I''ll make principal emeritus. "It was by order of the Emperor that I was made an honorary principal. But do you know why that was done? "Huh?No it''s ...... Ethan was at a loss for words, and the other teachers had mixed looks on their faces. That''s because it''s in Your Majesty''s best interest. He sent me here in the right place at the right time without any preconceived notions of what it means to be a child. A shout of excitement, akin to a cheer, escaped the mouths of the teachers. Some give a distant look of reminiscence. The plan seems to have worked. I think I''ve done a good job of raising Eliza''s profile. Then Ethan turned his respectful eyes on Eliza and asked, turning them directly to me. I would like to ask a favor of the Vice-Emperor: ...... "What?Please. Would you be willing to come to the school and teach a practical class from time to time? "You mean I''m going to teach my students?Even though you''re an honorary principal? "Yes!Just to be taught - no, just to see the magic of His Highness''s mighty magic in person - would be an invaluable asset to the students. "I see. That makes sense. I think Ethan is right that it''s good to see the ''real thing'' with your own eyes while you''re young. Also, ...... "And? "To my shame, even though this is the Empire''s home, there are fewer students than other witchcraft schools. Why? This is the only wizarding school where you actually go into a dungeon and have combat practice. That can be dangerous, so it''s often avoided. However, we can''t do away with it. Ethan said with a sour look on his face. The way you talk, it seems that Ethan, the principal, understands that this is the emperor''s last stand. It''s true that we can''t afford to lose practical training from our school for such occasions. "The Vice-Emperor would be happy to give the occasional lesson to our students. "I wonder if it will get together on its own. "Gathering Ethan affirmed. I am ashamed to tell you that I have just decided to go to ....... I have just decided to enroll my only grandchild here if His Highness will allow him to have classes. So says Ethan. I''m embarrassed to say that ...... comes from a parental love for his only grandson, a grandfatherly desire to keep him out of harm''s way. I turned it around and decided to be here now. If I can see and learn a little bit from His Highness, I am sure it will be an asset for my grandson''s life. "Me too. I''ll keep my son here. "I also daughter My brother has no idea what to do, but I recommend this place. The other teachers also vied for the lead. His eyes were different from the startled eyes he had just seen. For a moment they reminded me of your father and Hossen, but I decided to forget about them. All right. But then you''ll have a problem. "Problem? "It''s about moving. I won''t be in the city forever. I may be returned to my family''s territory or entrusted with a domain. Either way is far from here. I''ll have regular classes at ....... Isn''t it possible to fly with a magical power like His Highness''? "Flight You mumble those words in a flat tone. Come to think of it, I hadn''t thought of that. There''s definitely flying magic. Those with high magic power can fly as they are, and those who are a bit short can fly with a broomstick or some other tool as an aid. If you ask me, the distance was a magical thing to work out. I asked the Philosopher''s Stone, which I carry with me everywhere, containing all my knowledge. Magic for easy travel to and from distant places. The Philosopher''s Stone was soon answering my questions. I ruminated in my head over the information I''d gained, even simulating how to use it. After going through it. "A flying spell, twice as fast as a carriage... I''m going to go try it out. "--What? Leaving Ethan and the other teachers behind, I used my magic. In a moment, the body is pulled toward the sky. It was like the opposite of a meteor, tearing through the sky and flying away. In the blink of an eye, I was right where I thought I would be. "Alec?What, where did it come from? The palace, the audience chamber. That''s where the Emperor Eliza is. It''s a test of teleportation magic. Eliza''s place was the easiest for me to think of. "Wow, my place? Eliza''s face turned red as if on fire. I was pleased with the effect of the instantaneous movement. The distance from the palace to the magic school on the outskirts of the city, a distance that used to take more than an hour by carriage, was reached in a mere ten seconds. Thank you and I''m sorry. I''ve got to get back to the wizarding school. No, it''s okay. Alec can come to ...... whenever he wants to. Thank you. See you later. For some reason, I said goodbye to Eliza, who was still red in the face, and once again returned to the magic school with instantaneous movement magic. We arrived in a dozen seconds. The distance of nearly three hours by carriage was less than a minute. That way you could commute even if you were usually far away. And, Your Highness. What was that? When I came back, Ethan asked me timidly, "What''s that? It''s a teleportation spell. I went to the emperor''s place to try it out. With this, the lesson is-- "Instantaneous movement magic! Ethan is astonished, and the teachers are all groaning at once. ''What''s going on, all of a sudden? "Speaking of instantaneous movement magic, the legendary magic that was lost long ago ...... Your Highness, how do you ...... ...... Oh, I see. The Philosopher''s Stone has all the knowledge, whatever it was that was lost, the Philosopher''s Stone usually has. The magic of lost legends. That phrase made me understand the throbbing of the teachers. "''Awesome ......'' Teachers who had witnessed the legendary magic had come to look at me with respect. 16 04. Good people make it 10,000 Ethan and I walked through the magic school. I knew that if I was going to be taking classes in earnest and not just as an honorary principal, I needed to know what was there and where it was. I told Ethan about it and he showed me around. As expected of the last imperial fort. The larder, the armory, and the construction of the building itself. It''s a true fort, or rather, a fortress. It is often said that a siege requires three times as many troops as you would need for a siege, but this one looks like it could be outnumbered by ten times as many. On the other hand, if this place is held back by a rebel army or something, we''ll be in big trouble. The reason why Eliza sent me here is even clearer now. I didn''t even give such impressions, just the surface impressions. "Wow, this place is amazing. It''s like a city all by itself. This is for Your Majesty to use in a time of need. Of course, that won''t happen. Since we were alone, Ethan readily admitted that this was a fort and replied to my impressions. What am I going to teach him in a place where it''s so proper? "As Your Highness would have it. "Hmmm. That''s the hardest part. I''d still feel better if you asked me to teach you a magic I''m not good at. As I was walking around, wondering what to do. On the school grounds, by the bank of the river, I saw a girl. She''s a little older than I am now, about ten years old. Her dark hair is long and lustrous, and her small face is as pretty as a doll. She''s older than Angel, but her mood is a little younger. The girl was standing at the river''s edge, holding her hands out to a cup of water and moaning. Her face was bright red from straining too hard. Nothing''s changed. Hi! When I called out to her from behind, the girl backed away from me, startled, not figuratively, but really jumped up and down, Zsa Zsa, and backed away from me. Who are you--oh, the principal. Hello, Xiaomei Mei Mei. Apparently the girl is named Xiaomei . Hello, Principal. Um, is this girl ......? Excuse me, Miss May. This is the honorary principal of our school, the great vice-president of the Empire. "Eeeeeeee!Oh, that Vice-Emperor, Your Highness! Xiaomei was even more flabbergasted. Your Highness is a bit of a meanderer, but that''s what a 10-year-old girl who was profusely surprised would have done. I''m sorry!I don''t know your face or anything, "Don''t worry about it. It''s just that I''m a new guy. It''s more than that-- I saw a cup of water that Xiao Mei was holding out just a moment ago. "You were checking your magic? "...... yes Hm?I wonder what''s going on. When I asked her if she was checking her magic power, Xiaomei''s expression suddenly darkened . "It''s still not good enough, Mr. Mei? "Yes ...... What does that mean? Ms. May, she apparently does not have magical powers. "No magic? Yes, we''ve been testing in this way for almost a year now and we''ve never seen any change in the water. Ethan lifted the glass of water that Xiaomei was using and sipped it in the sun, smelled it, and checked the temperature by putting his finger in it. I''m looking at it to see if there is any change. I''m ...... not good enough. My dad tried so hard to get me to this school, but I can''t go to ......". You shouldn''t give up, Ms. May. No man has the ability to control magic at will from the start. But everyone says they''ve never seen anything this bad on ....... Xiaomei squeezed her hand, bit her lower lip and fell into a slump. Surely I''ve never heard of such a thing. A magic check. Normally, after nearly a year of practice, that in itself would be an exercise, and something would change in the water. Not even that, I''ve never heard of it in my previous life combined. I was curious and sought knowledge from the Philosopher''s Stone. Is that possible, I wondered if and what it meant. The stone was quick to give me the answer to the knowledge. With that knowledge flowing into my head, I stared at Xiaomei with my eyes. From the top of my head to my toes. Then I saw it on my finger. ...... I see. "Huh?What did you say, Your Highness? Watching . Mr. Xiaomei. "Yo, yo, yo, call me by my name, Your Highness. "So Xiaomei. Give me a hand. Hand ......? A puzzled Xiaomei, a look of anxiety on her face, wondering what he would do to her. She looked at Ethan and Ethan nodded quietly but clearly. Encouraged silently, Xiaomei held out her hand timidly, saying it was okay. Like a doll, a small, white, soft hand. I took her hand and kissed her ring finger. Hi!What, what are you-- I was so surprised that I jumped away from him and backed away from him in a frenzy. I ran into a tree behind me with my back. That''s when I saw the smoke coming from Xiaomei''s body. A plume of smoke erupted from Xiaomei''s body. At first it was like opening the lid of a boiling pot and blowing out, but when it calmed down, a large amount of smoke enveloped her body. "What is this--? It''s her natural power. "Original? When I kissed her on the mouth, there was a stagnation there. The ring finger of your right hand, the finger said to be directly connected to the heart is also the base of the magic line (...). The root of it was somehow held back in her case. Yeah, no, but we looked into that possibility and didn''t find anything like that. "Look at her magic I pointed at Xiaomei. She is awaiting to see the magic coming out of her body. Do you know about the bat''s ultrasound?I can''t see it unless it''s as magical as that one. "My God!So that means-- Yeah, she seems to have the most magic in this school, including the teachers. "I see. ...... It''s great to see that you are the Vice-Emperor. I''m impressed that you could see it through. "More than that, Xiaomei "Ha, ha! Try again in that state. I handed him a cup. It was the magic check cup that Xiaomei had been working on all this time. But ...... I wouldn''t do that to ...... Xiao Mei can do it now. "But ...... "I guarantee it, you believe me? Xiaomei huffed and then cautiously reached out and took the cup from my hand. Then he held his hand over the cup and put some magic in it. "--What? I knew it. "What does this mean, Your Highness? Xiaomei, surprised, asked me to explain. The water had completely disappeared from the cup she was holding. "Xiaomei''s true magic is too strong to be measured in a cup. "--Ha! It was the principal of the school of magic. I didn''t understand right away because I wasn''t expecting it, but when I was told I understood the phenomenon. I further told Xiaomei. You can''t do that in a cup, try the river over there. "Yes, yes ...... Xiaomei slowly approached the river and held out her hand. As a result of the magical power he sent in, the river froze. Just before, the surface of the water reflected the sun and shimmered, but in an instant, the river froze solidly. "Yes, Xiaomei seems to be good at the ice attribute. "...... Xiaomei looked alternately at me and the frozen river with an incredulous look on her face. That''s good, Xiaomei. Yes, yes! Xiao Mei nodded widely and cried happy tears of joy at the back of her mind. "Oh!You''re my brother-in-law! The next day, when I woke up in the morning with Angel and came to the living room to get ready, the owner of the house, Mr. Hossen, came quickly and tapped me on the shoulder. "What''s wrong, Mr. Hossen? I heard about what happened at the wizarding school yesterday. I heard that you awakened the potential of a wizard with the equivalent of A...... or S-rank. "Xiao Mei thing?I knew we had the equivalent of an S-rank. As of yesterday, I somehow thought so. It instantly wiped out the glass of water and completely froze the river. Considering that I''ve blotted out cups and ponds before, and that I''m a little weaker than that, I thought an S rating would be appropriate. "There are already rumors that the vice emperor and honorary principal has great leadership skills. Hossen still used the same youthful language, but it was easier to understand. ''Great, Mr. Alec, that''s great! "I was asked to do a favor for you, so I''m not going to get my face wet by doing something bad. "Yes! Well, that''s why I''m in a bit of a pickle, though. "Trouble?...... Why would that make Mr. Hosen grin? Of course. I don''t have anything to do with witchcraft school, so no matter how much trouble you''re in, just be honest and say your brother-in-law is awesome!You can just say, "I''m not going to do it. "I have a bad feeling about this: ...... What the hell is this all about? Hossen grinned even more when he heard this. Rumors of your leadership skills spread fast, and I hear you''re inundated with applicants for next year''s class. "Oh, yeah. "The multiplier was over 10,000 as of this morning. "...... Yeah! Magnification, that magnification? Those exams and passing exams. What do you mean, Mr. Hosen? When Angier asked, not understanding, Hossen further explained: "There are too many applicants, and usually only one in ten thousand gets in this morning. There are so many applicants, usually you can get in if you want, but since this morning, only one in 10,000 people can get in. "Wow!Amazing!That''s amazing, Mr. Alec! Isn''t it great?That''s my brother-in-law. "Yes!That''s what I''m talking about, Alec! A grinning Hossen and a beaming Angel. The two of them had a great rapport. 17 The Good Man Unveils the Petrified Dragon The next day, I went to the royal palace alone. I had been in the imperial capital for a while, and I thought it was time to go home to my parents. I am the Carlisle baron--no, the head of the Vice-Emperor''s House of Carlisle. I have to greet the emperor on my way out. Otherwise, it''s a problem for the Duke of Carlyle, father. Well, before that. Even ordinary people return to greet the people they cared for on their journey and we need to say hello to Eliza. So I came to the palace and asked for an audience with Your Majesty, but instead of Eliza, it was a minister whose face I had seen before. Well, ...... "My name is Reitz. Vice-Emperor. "Mr. Reitz. Where is His Majesty? His Majesty is not in the palace. He went to see his guardian dragon this morning. "The guardian dragon ...... is said to have helped His Majesty the first emperor during the founding of the empire ......? "Good-bye. Minister Leitz nodded clearly. The empire has a legend of a guardian dragon. It''s in history as a founding episode, but it''s only half-lore. Because that guardian dragon has never been seen since the founding of the country. Some historians believe it was actually a bluff. "Today I went to pray to the guardian dragon, a monthly ritual. I did. ...... His Majesty told me. If the Vice-Emperor wishes, he can tell you where to go. Well, let''s see ...... then, tell me about it. * Leitz told me the location and I headed out with my flying magic. Unlike instantaneous travel magic, flying magic that flies through the air as fast as a bird. Still, it''s much faster than horses and carriages. Flying through the air, I headed to the place where the guardian dragon and Eliza were. Less than an hour later, flying straight over the grasslands, a temple-like building came into view in the distance. A squad of soldiers was guarding the entrance to the temple, and I landed in front of them. "Your Highness! One of the soldiers - probably the captain''s man - called out to me, and with that they all fell to their knees in unison. "Make yourself comfortable. You all don''t have to thank me because protecting the king is the most important thing. "Ha! When the captain''s man responded on behalf of the soldiers, they stood up again in unison. Very well-trained, unflappable leadership. Very well done. Is His Majesty here, by the way? What. His Highness told me to let you in when he arrived. It''s a ritual. Do you know when to go in? "You said anytime," he said. "Okay, thank you. Say so to the captain''s man and go into the temple. Oh ...... The moment I stepped in, I shuddered at the difference in the air between the outside and the inside. The air was unlike anything I had ever felt before. The air was mysterious and austere. The air was filled with such wonder. I steeled myself and headed to the back of the temple. A long path led to a huge space with an altar. There was a huge stone statue of a dragon in front of Eliza, who was praying alone. This is the guardian dragon: ...... "You''re here, Alec. Eliza looked up, turned around and smiled at me. "Sorry, did I interrupt you? No, it''s not. Eliza told me it was okay, so I moved closer to her. We were alone in a vast space, the sound of shoes echoed heavily. This is an amazing stone statue, was it made by the first emperor? No, this is the guardian dragon himself. "Yourself? "Yeah. Apparently there was a lot of trouble when he was building the empire, and he was petrified. They haven''t changed since. That''s right. Petrification. As I looked up at the huge stone statue of the dragon in front of me, my bosom flashed. "Alec?What is it? This is ...... The Philosopher''s Stone. The philosopher''s stone, which I carry with me always, glowed by itself. I can sense its will. unusually, the stone spoke to me. It was a way to use the magic of unpetrification. "Uh-huh, I see. "Okay, what? "Sorry, I was just backing off, Eliza. "Huh?Yeah ...... I don''t know what it was, but if Alec was right - and Eliza took a few steps back. I looked at the stone dragon statue again. I reviewed in my mind the magic I learned from the Philosopher''s Stone once more, and then held up my hand to cast a spell. Hello?Alec, what are you going to do? I stopped the petrification. You''re a guardian dragon, and it would be good for the Empire to untie you. "Huh?What are you talking about, Alec, it''s impossible to-- Eliza wonders, while the magic is triggered. A feeling of weakness overtook me as a considerable amount of magic was taken away, but the magic was successfully activated and the dragon''s stone statue was enveloped in light. Soon, the guardian dragon''s petrification is released. The stone statue''s appearance gradually returned to normal, lifelike scales. The eyes, too, gradually lit up, unlike when they were stone statues. In less than a minute, he changed from the stone statue back to his full dragon form. The guardian dragon was thumping!And fell face down on the ground, but was breathing in my sleep. Sleeping here is a bit distracting, but I was relieved that I had succeeded, because it was proof that the petrification had been released. Then I turn to Eliza. ...... "What''s up Eliza?You look so surprised. You''d be surprised at ...... "Surprised? Did I do something strange? Because the dragon is petrified?It has always been said that keeping a creature the size of a dragon petrified for so long is a magic comparable to that of a god. That''s why some people say the legend of the guardian dragon is a lie. I remember that theory. But it''s true. There are dozens of ordinary wizards who tried to solve the petrification problem, only to have their magic taken from them by the roots because they didn''t have enough power. And then Alec easily solved it: ...... "Uh, ...... "That''s great, Alec. ...... Convinced Eliza was looking at me with hot eyes. 18 The Good Man Becomes the Dragon God After a while, the dragon slowly opened its eyes. The eyes alone were larger than my seven-year-old body. "My name is Calamity, King of the Skies. "This is Alexander Carlyle, "Elisabeth C. Forsize is Eliza used honorific language. Not the emperor, not a girl. I''ve never heard her use an honorific tone of voice before. "Forsize relation. "Yes, I''m pleased to meet you, Guardian Dragon. "Mm. Calamity nodded imperiously, then looked at me and Eliza in turn. "And which one of you has freed me from my long sleep? It''s me. I came forward with an immediate response. The dragon''s eyes glazed over and it looked only at me. "Well, ...... my fate, let me first thank you. "The Doomed One? "Mm. Calamity lay on her face and drew her chin back slightly. "I petrified myself to meet my destiny. Hoping that one day the one who will undo this will appear. "I was able to petrify myself ...... so I could ...... Beside me, Eliza was convinced. I wondered who had been petrified by a dragon as powerful as a god, but if he had done it himself, it made sense. But . Why did you turn yourself to stone? It made sense forcefully, but I still didn''t know what the intention was. When I asked, Eliza, once convinced, looked seriously at Calamity again, waiting for an answer to her question. "It''s an injury, "Injured? "I was waiting for the man who was destined to heal my injuries. "A special injury?Curse or something like that? When I was asked to heal the injury, I asked for details. No matter what kind of injury is unique, the Philosopher''s Stone would know how to fix it. So I decided to ask for the details first. No, it''s just a battle wound. He fought for the Forsize and was beaten by 100,000 human troops, just a mortal wound. I won''t say it''s just that! It made me yell out. A fatal wound inflicted by an army of 100,000 men is so far beyond the ...... human scale. I''m amazed that he only suffered injuries. ....... I''m not sure if it''s a good idea for me to say this, but I''m sure it''s a good idea for me to say it. Calamity read me as if she could read my mind and gave me supplementary explanations. To annihilate an army of 100,000 men on an ''angry'' level. It''s easy to see that dragons are far more than just living things. On the other hand, I get it. Well, that makes things a little easier. To be sure, that''s just battlefield injuries. "Mm. Okay. They say it''s fatal, and it''s better to do it soon, so I''m going to go a little rough. As he said this, he held up his hand and first let out his magic. The magic that was released into the air was kneaded and turned into the usual magic ball. Pure recovery magic spheres, white magic spheres. Make ten of them. Because of Calamity''s huge body, I made 10 of them to match its vitality. After making them, you push them together against Calamity. Like white magic balls melting, they''re sucked into Calamity''s body. It was responsive. At first I felt some resistance, but after increasing the amount of magic and rotation of the magic spheres, I was able to easily break through the resistance. After throwing all the magic spheres into Calamity, the dragon looked up from the ground where he was lying with a surprised look on his face. It was different from the languid, languid movements of earlier, but it was quick and agile. "You''re cured ......," he said. "Something wrong yet? "...... Calamity stared at me with incredulous eyes. I knew it would be great: ...... Eliza mumbled something like that from next to me. Calamity and Eliza, they were both surprised. Why are you so surprised? What''s going on? What''s the matter, don''t you see, Alec? "What? Dragons are resistant to all kinds of magic. So strong that they can nullify practically all magic. Eliza''s explanation, confirmed by using the Philosopher''s Stone. A race closer to God is called dragons, which are resistant to all magic, just like Eliza said. So that''s what the resistance was all about. Yes. That''s why no one could heal my injuries. Even healing magic is nullified by resistance. I see. ...... But then why didn''t you fix it yourself?I could have petrified myself, so why didn''t you do the healing magic yourself? It''s impossible. Calamity lifted the corners of her mouth with dexterity. The expression on the dragon''s face was unfamiliar, but I could tell from the atmosphere that he was smiling to himself. "I''m not very good with healing magic. I didn''t need it. ...... I know, it''s the downside of being too strong. "Exactly. Calamity laughed with a croak and a throaty laugh. It''s no wonder that if you''re as strong as a god and resistant enough to nullify all attacks, you''ll never learn recovery magic. Therefore, I petrified my body and stopped all life activities, waiting for the appearance of the one who is destined to undo this one. I decided to trust that he would be the one, or perhaps my fate. "I see. I never thought it would be ...... such a good one. Calamity, tongue wagging, I finally figured it out. I was surprised that the recovery spell had broken through my resistance enough to disable it. Calamity stared at me more closely. Quietly, intently. "Ask. "--What? "Speak directly to your heart - ask The unfamiliar type of voice startled me for a moment, but then it was explained to me and I understood. It''s telepathic magic. I looked back into Calamity''s eyes and waited for her to ask me a question. "Are you God? For a moment, I felt a jolt. Past life assessment, reincarnation of the SSS rank. I remembered that time when I could be a god if I wanted to, and I felt a jerk. Such power, the power that cured me so easily. It could only be a god. "No, I''m just a man. I''m just a man. "...... Calamity stared at me in silence. After a while, she spoke aloud, this time not directly to my heart. If so, then ...... was increasingly doomed. Will it? O Doomed One. This life saved, I want to use it for you. Does that mean you owe me a favor? Calamity nodded quietly. But shortly thereafter. "Will you be my master? She made a terribly shocking confession. "To the master of the guardian dragon ......?Amazing ...... I was surprised, but what surprised me more was Eliza. She was standing next to me with an exclamation on her face like I had never seen her before. 19 07. Relief for Good People and Farmers Forever Saying goodbye to Eliza and riding on the back of Calamity, came back to the Hossen house. From the sky I saw Angel in the garden. There. "Yes, Lord. Calamity obeyed like an obedient horse and descended to the ground in a circle. The descending dragon, its shadow on the ground grows larger and larger. Noticing the growing shadow, Angel looked up and let go with a pout. After Calamity landed, I jumped off my back and stood in front of Angel. I''m home, Angel. "Welcome home, Mr. Alec, ......... uh, ...... that is. Angel looks at Calamity with slightly scared eyes. As a gesture of reassurance, I took Angel''s hand and walked toward Calamity. "I would like to introduce you to Angel, this is Calamity. "Mr. Calamity, is it? "Calamity, this is Angelica Silva. She''s my wife. "I''m pleased to meet you, Miss Angelica. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Calamity, uh, Angel. "The Lord''s inner room, you can''t call it off. A stiff calamity, Angier nodded his head and then. "Oh, you''re Alec''s man, aren''t you? Apparently so. Wow, it''s amazing, Master Alec. You have a dragon for a subordinate. "Oh, whoa!My brother-in-law, isn''t that the guardian dragon of my empire? A hot voice came. Perhaps having received the report of the flying dragon, the master of the house, Hossen, arrived. He looked at Calamity and his eyes widened with happiness. That''s right. Calamity, your guardian dragon--is that right? "As easy as the Lord calls it. Calamity acting as a complete subordinate, or rather, a servant . ''Eeeeee!Was it a guardian dragon? Hahahaha! You''ve got the legendary guardian dragon under your command. No, this much is obvious. Please don''t be so convinced and raise the bar like your father. Maybe it''s because we''re best friends, but Hosen is really like your father. And then my father reminded me. I''ll just fly over to the house. Is the mansion the Carlisle mansion? Yes. I''ll have to ask your father''s permission. Oh, of course. You have such a big dragon. Yes, I''m still living with the Duke of Carlisle''s house, which is not independent of my father''s. If he doesn''t make it, he can come back. I''ll let your brother-in-law live with you as long as he wants. Thank you, Mr. Hossen. Now, I''m just going to go. I jumped on Calamity''s back. I jumped on Calamity''s back. Duly noted. Calamity flapped her wings and flew up into the sky. She pointed in the direction of her family''s home in Carlisle and flew in that direction at great speed. That''s about three times the speed of an ordinary bird! The carriage took me on a short trip to the imperial capital and my parents'' house in a flash. As I turned slowly as before and descended into the garden, I saw your father''s figure through one of the windows. Calamity, go to the window where that man is. "Yes. As ordered, Calamity laid me on the window. Father ...... that? Just before knocking on the window, I noticed something strange. Unusually, your father seemed distressed. I wonder what happened to that father to be so troubled. Just as I was thinking that, your father noticed me first. He noticed because the room was darkened by the huge Calamity beside him, blocking the sunlight coming in through the window. Father turned and was surprised to see me. I get up from my seat and open the window to look out and am twice surprised to see Calamity. A....Alec. What is that? I''ll introduce you to your father. I entered the room through the window and explained the sequence of events. I told them how Eliza had won the vice emperor''s favor and how I had unpetrated my guardian dragon, Calamity, and made him my subordinate. I told him the whole story of what happened in the imperial city. ''''Oh!That''s just as I imagined. Just as I imagined. "As you imagined? "Mm!I thought that a man of Alec''s stature, His Majesty, would consider abdication or vice versa. "Uh, ...... I laughed bitterly. If I had heard this before I went to the imperial capital, I could have just said, "You''re the same old father," but because I actually went there and had him be my deputy emperor, I couldn''t say anything. So I changed the subject. "More importantly, what was troubling you, father? It''s nothing - no, you can ask Alec. Yeah, say whatever you want. As a matter of fact, this year''s weather has been so good that the crops in the territory are much larger than usual. A great harvest. Isn''t that a good thing? It''s a good crop, and the crop is fat. I thought I''d just buy up the lumpy crop because the price would collapse and the farmers would lose money. ...... "But? There''s nothing wrong with buying them, but there''s a storage problem and they need people to manage them. I could buy it and dispose of it as is, but I was having trouble with ....... "I see. "And I''m worried about getting them to adjust their production. If next year''s weather is bad, we''ll be in for a real treat. I knew what your father was worried about and what he wanted. I thought about what I could do. I came up with a plan and then asked if it was possible with the Philosopher''s Stone. The answer was that my magic could do it. Then I have to do it. What would be needed to make it happen, he said of the calamity. Hearing that, he turned to Calamity, who was hovering outside the window. "Calamity, excuse me, can you give me a fingernail? "Yes, sir. Without any hesitation at all, Calamity broke one of his--the dragon''s claws and held it out to me. I took it and remade it with magic. The claws were magically stretched thinner and thinner until they resembled cloth, and then they were magically sewn together to form a sack. It''s done. "What''s that, Alec? "I''ll take your desk, Dad. After saying no, I put your father''s desk in the bag. A large and splendid office desk was sucked into a small bag that I, a seven-year-old, could normally carry. Dad was very surprised at the obviously out-of-portion storage. What''s that? It''s a storage bag. The size inside is proportional to the magic of its owner. "The magic of its owner--oh!I mean, as big as the world if Alec can have it! No, no, no, Dad, how come you''re so sure when you''re feeling better all of a sudden? I chuckled and continued. It''s not as big as the world, but it''s pretty big. Besides, "And? "The flow of time slows down in proportion to its magical power. "I don''t get it! Father puffed out his chest. That means that what''s in here does not perish. In my case, time almost never passes. "Oh my! "So, father . Buy everything that is lumpy. Everything in the estate. "I see!Alec will keep it for you! "Yes. I nodded. Then he told me his vision for the future. We''ll continue to buy it, I''ll store it. The capacity is ...... probably enough to cover the needs of all the territory''s residents for five years, so if you stockpile it on a regular basis and release it if there is a famine or a bad harvest, the people of the territory will be saved. "Oh, whoa!You''ve thought that far ahead, Alec! My father was excited. "That''s what you are, Alec, the makings of a rare master - and you already are! Father chuckled at it () as usual. Thus, thanks to the bags made of calamity claws. Carlisle never had to adjust its production and the farmers had a steady income every year. There were only two problems. The hoarding and stockpiling system, which my father named the Alec System, and the Harvest Festival was renamed the Alec Festival. It was just that every year from now on, it will be a little embarrassing during harvest season. 20 08. Good people reform agriculture Time went by and I turned nine years old. Partly because the Philosopher''s Stone gave me more time to study effectively, and partly because I was appointed Deputy Emperor and wanted to do something for Eliza. Little by little, I began to help my father rule his domain. On this day, too, I came to a place called Psyche Village, about two days away from the mansion. It''s harvest season, and for the purchase of the wastage crops. The surplus crops are piled up in the village fields and are sucked into bags. I wonder what it is. The village chief of this village, a man who called himself Danny, was greatly surprised. This is the first time I''ve seen this, as this is the first time the village has had a good harvest since the Alec system was built (which is still embarrassing). I magically stored it, otherwise I wouldn''t have come alone. "Nah, I see. ...... Danny was surprised but satisfied. I saw the bag. The amount of crops we had sucked into the magic bag and stockpiled permanently was quite a bit. In a city of a thousand people, that''s enough for a whole year. Two years later, I was in charge of the purchase, partly because I was the one who conceived it. That''s a lot of money for two years. That''s great... after all, the nobles aren''t like us. I didn''t think you could do such a thing with magic. Smiling at Danny, I handed him another bag - just a sachet with no magic effect. "Here''s your payment. "Thank you Das Danny opened the mouth of the bag to see what was in it - he was impressed in a different way. Being in charge of the food stockpile, I''ve learned that farmers don''t really have much opportunity for this kind of extra income. A farmer with cows or chickens can earn a little milk or eggs, but a farmer with only fields can earn only once a season, at harvest time. That''s why your father''s policy of purchasing surplus foodstuffs from the Duke of Carlisle was very welcome. By the way, ...... is it good over there? I pointed to a small mountain a short distance away. It seemed to be potatoes piled high. Oh, they''re no good. Oh no, they''re rotten. "Is it rotten? "Das Danny said and approached Koyama, and I followed him. When he came to Koyama''s side, he took a potato and gave it to me. I swear, they''re rotten. All crops grow at different times of the year, but when you harvest the most, you can''t help but be impatient and wait until after they''re already rotten. "Oh, really. So you''re throwing this away? N-need to be a fertilizer. I''m going to let it rot and feed the soil. "I see. "We''re running out of fertilizer these days, and that''s another important asset, Das. "Not enough fertilizer? "Truly my lord and master Das. Danny bowed to me again. I don''t know what he meant by that. Das bought the surplus from the lord, and originally the surplus was left to rot and be used as fertilizer. I see. "That''s why I''m screaming for more fertilizer. I''m secretly troubled because it won''t be enough fertilizer before the next sowing. "Not in time to rot? "Das Nodding Danny. The look on your face is one of serious distress. "So the next crop will probably be less, Das. ...... If it gets to fertilizer in time, will the harvest go up? "That''s up to you. ...... Why?And then he looked at me with a look on his face. I thought for a minute. "Hang on a second. And said to Danny. Use magic, the magic of instantaneous movement. The body was pulled into the air, falling toward the sky at great speed , culminating in a parabola, and then falling normally to the ground. In an instant, I returned to Carlisle''s mansion to find Angel and Calamity in the garden. "Ah, Master Alec, you''re back! I''m home. Do you have Calamity to train with you again? "Yes! Ange nodded innocently. ''''I''ll continue to hone my healing magic and be able to heal my guardian dragon as well. Well, good luck with that. "Yes!Ehehe ...... When I patted his head as usual, Angier''s eyes narrowed with happiness. I''m sure you''re going to be able to use enough healing magic to really break through Calamity''s resistance at this rate. Then you''ll be the world''s best healer. After stroking him for a while, he spoke to Calamity to accomplish his original goal. "Calamity, I''m sorry, but can you give me another nail? "It''s not a big deal, Lord. Without any hesitation at all, Calamity broke a nail and gave it to me. I took it and, using magic, made a magic storage bag as before. "Thank you Calamity. Good luck Angel. "Yes!Good luck with your work, Alec-sama! The adorable Angel and Calamity, who has a warrior-like aura of 100% loyalty, saw me off and used instantaneous magic again to return to the fields of Psyche''s village. "Wow, where have you been, Das? It''s a bit. More importantly, who is the least magical person in this village? "Magic Das?Then Vasudas. Best? "Ichiban Das Danny nodded clearly. Maybe because he got his living from farming, he didn''t seem particularly concerned about his low magic power. Okay, here''s what I want you to have. Press your ten fingers here in order. "Huh ...... Das? Danny pressed his ten fingers on a point on the bag in sequence as I had instructed. "Yep, that''s it. Now this bag belongs to you. "Haha, what''s this at ...... Put one of those potatoes in there, and as soon as you do, you can take it out. "You know, I''m not sure if it''s a good idea to go to ...... or not!Das rotten in an instant. "Yeah. Is it good as fertilizer? "You know, when you put Das in ......, he starts to go bad, and then he goes bad right away. Danny was excited to take them out one by one, putting the potatoes in and letting them rot. The bags are exactly the same as my magic storage bags. If a person with enormous magic power uses it, the flow of time inside will stop and the stockpile won''t rot, but if someone with little or no magic power uses it, it will rot at a very fast rate. I took advantage of that and gave it to Danny for fertilizer production. There''s plenty of time for fertilizer. "Yes Das!Thanks Das!Now you''ll get more and more of a harvest, Das. Good luck. "Aristocrats are the gods of the Wasps! Thank you so much. . After this incident, I found out that not only Psyche''s village, but also other villages did not have enough fertilizer in time thanks to the purchase of surplus, so I mass-produced sacks - fertilizer production machines - and distributed them to the farming communities. The next year, the Duke of Carlisle''s harvest was even higher, creating a little bubble in the countryside. 21 09. A good man fainted by a fan who followed him One afternoon, I went out with Eliza to the city of Molech. Since I met her two years ago and she was appointed deputy emperor, she began to visit the dukedom of Carlisle occasionally. And when she does, I''m always there with her. The reason why it is not your father who entertains the emperor''s outings... I don''t want to be too flattered to be a duke. I''ve heard that''s the case. Today she''s not dressed in an imperial uniform, but in the beautiful clothes of a girl of her age. So she''s in full burglar mode, and she''s letting me show you around. By the way. Hey, Your Majesty, are you on a tour with the baron? Yes. And not the baron, but the Vice-Emperor. "That''s right. I''m sorry, Vice-Emperor. Auntie, I''ve been watching you since you were a little girl. The market lady grabbed me and teased me . No, no, no, she''s got a finger ring and a little space between them, but she''s that size because she''s in her mother''s belly and hasn''t been born yet. In this way, among the city''s people, especially those who are called auntie, Eliza''s status as an emperor is well known. You can also have a look at the following tips to help you get the most out of your new collection Oh yeah, we have a new product. Here it is. "Is this--a shell? "So, Your Majesty, you know?These bivalves are the only pairs that fit perfectly together from the start, and you can''t find them anywhere in the world. "Oh, really, really, Alec? Yeah, I guess so. I asked the Philosopher''s Stone, which I carry with me just in case, and the answer is true. Because she knows that I am a knowledgeable person (with the philosopher''s stone), Eliza often checks with me whenever she has something like this. "And this shell--here, here, reinforcing this clinging root, so it won''t break up. It''s a good luck charm that you can be in love with the person you think you have it with and never leave them. I''ll never leave ...... I recited my auntie''s sales talk and somehow glanced at me, Eliza. "Ho, I wonder if he''s really going to leave me. Eliza blushed to the base of her ears and pulled the bivalve left and right. It seems to be made for good luck and sturdy, so it didn''t budge when Eliza tugged on it. Shouldn''t I just stay with it?Or do you have it on your person, and one day it breaks, and you get the feeling? Suddenly curious, I asked my auntie. There is also a pattern of spellcasting like I heard. No, Vice-Emperor, two people in love, right?Of course it''s better to stay together. Auntie tapped me on the shoulder. That''s what I''m talking about, Auntie. But the answer was clear. Then-- "Wait a minute. Apparently Eliza was trying to buy, so I waited and waited. Eliza looked puzzled, so I put a spell on the shell she was holding. It''s a simple spell, a spell that makes things stronger. It should now be strong enough that it won''t break even if the dragon steps on it. "Oh, that''s great, Vice-Emperor. It''s great, Your Majesty. Auntie laughed vigorously and this time started to tap Eliza on the shoulder. Fearless auntie''s actions, the previous emperor would have been beheaded for impoliteness. But Eliza was not angry. Oh, thank you, Alec, I''ll take good care of that ...... Rather bashfully and happily held the shell I had strengthened so carefully. After buying the lucky bivalve, I walked around the city again. Thanks auntie! Suddenly, even in the midst of the noisy marketplace, I heard a voice that was often heard. I looked at the voice and saw a girl between 12 to 3 years old, who was shopping for food. She was holding a paper bag that covered half of her face. I wonder if she has a large family. She''s not the same as the old lady, but she''s of the same race as the old lady. This is a freebie, eat it to have more energy. Then he stuffed more food into a paper bag as a bonus. The girl''s face is going to be hidden from view. Thank you!It''s still a nice city, I guess, because it''s Alec''s city. Hm? What''s my name on ......? The voice of a girl passing by seemed to be audible to Eliza, she stopped, glanced at me, and looked at the girl. What?You know Alec? "Shh! The girl who had been talking normally a moment ago suddenly turned red as if her face was about to burst into flames and denied it with her eyes wide open. I''ve never met her, I just admire her!I admired it so much that I moved here to at least be Alec''s people! Yeah. Oh, isn''t that Mr. Alec out there, you know, speaking of which," he said. "--What? I walked up to her, smiling as an acquaintance spotted me. Did you hear that?She says she''s a fan of Master Alec. Really? "...... The girl turned toward me with the awkward movement of a rusty golem. And then her eyes widened as if she was afraid her nape of her neck was going to split open, and then... . And then he fell with his eyes white. What''s the matter with you? "Alec?What did you do? Eliza came side-by-side and gave me an accusing look. "I wouldn''t do that. I have a red face and I think it''s sunstroke: ...... I''m going to try my recovery magic anyway. He held out his hand and created a pebble-sized white magic ball and gave it to the girl. The magic worked immediately, and the girl slowly sat up. Are you okay? Auntie will ask. Auntie ......, I think I had a good dream. I dreamed that I could see Alec''s eyes. "It''s not a dream. I''ll be right here. "Eh, -----kyu I saw the girl''s eyes again and she passed out again. "Well, ...... what''s going on? "...... Alec, let us go away for a moment "Haha. ...... I don''t know why, but I did what Eliza said anyway. After Eliza said something to the auntie, we both got away from it. The girl was woken up by her auntie, and she glanced at us as she listened to the conversation. Do you hear what I''m saying? "Well, ...... my real one was so glaring that it made me pass out. ...... Yeah, well, I thought it would be something like that. Really? That''s what happens when you put someone you admire too much in front of you. Haha ...... but I''m not sure if you''re used to it. I guess I''m used to it. "Do you want to go talk? Let''s do it. I said that to Eliza and tried to get back to the girl with her aunt. . When I got close enough, she passed out again. That''s the third time today. Does this mean that ......... "Looks like it. Apparently, when you get close to five meters, you get knocked out. It''s okay from a distance, but not when you get too close. Yeah, I guess so. When I woke up, I decided to just walk away, because being knocked out for the fourth time was not good for the girl''s body. At some distance, Eliza said to me, "I want to be your people. I want to be your people, I''m such a fan that I would pass out if I met you in person. Why don''t you give them something to remember you by? That would be better. It makes you happy when someone you love gives you something. For some reason, Eliza''s words sounded caged with realization. But I see, it might be so. I thought for a moment and took out the parchment I always use for shopping and wrote a simple "Thank you, it''s nice" and my signature. I showed it to Eliza. "Is this okay? It''s okay. Nodding Eliza. As she did so, the girl woke up again. "Are you all right? "Uh-huh. ...... I hear the girl and the auntie talking, but what should I do now? If I give it to her now, she might pass out again. What am I going to do with this paper? Give it to me. "Huh? I''ll go get it for you. "Are you sure?Then ...... please. Hmm. Eliza took the parchment and walked toward the girl with the stalwart. Then he held out the parchment to her and said, "Here''s a gift from him. This is a gift from him. "...... What''s going on? Eliza stares silently at the girl and cocks her head. The first thing that comes to mind is that there is no way that ...... could possibly be the emperor''s - hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. -- No, it''s a real Your Majesty. "--whew! The girl let out a funny voice when the auntie said good-naturedly, "The real Your Majesty ? "The real Your Majesty ......? The girl mumbled and looked at me. "Did you use ...... as a delivery person? Then, after a moment of poking around. "I''m a little too busy. And again, I was fainting again. 22 10. Good people, preventing natural disasters The day after Eliza returned to the imperial capital, I continued my tour of the territory. After giving sacks of fertilizer to low magic lords to make fertilizer with the opposite effect of accelerated decay, I continued to tour the territory to spread it around and see if I could find something that would further boost the harvest. I began to look around the farmland in the territory more than ever before. This day I came to a village called Linetola. The fields are lush and the lords are tending to them. What do you think, Master Alec? My counterpart, a young man named Sol, the village representative, asked me, "You look good. He said, "You seem to be doing well, I have a good feeling that you have a good harvest. Yes, the weather is good this year, and they are growing nicely. That''s all thanks to Mr. Alec and the Duke. Walking with Sol, we came to the main body of the village, beyond the farmland. I saw some houses under construction. What''s that? It''s really thanks to Alec. A lot of people have been able to save money thanks to Alec, and nowadays it''s a boom to rebuild houses and get married to them. I see, that''s a good thing. Even if you don''t rely on the Philosopher''s Stone, you know from your past life that marriage is expensive. It''s easier to get a bride when you have a decent house--properties, and weddings are expensive to begin with. It''s good that it can be done, and that it can be done collectively as it booms. I''ll even leave my sack in Linetra''s village and let her produce more fertilizer to boost her crop - and then... Oh, my God! In front of me and Sol, another man came at me with a different look on his face. On the way, he stumbled over a stone and lost his balance, and he rolled halfway in front of us. What''s the matter with you? "Lo, the Locust! "What! "There''s the Locust, they''re coming straight at us! "What? The two people in the village looked desperate, as if the end of the world had come. Using a flying spell, I looked down at the earth from the air. It''s a great sight! A huge, four-legged creature came lumbering over the horizon. It was no bigger than a small mountain, but it was slow and didn''t seem to have any ill will. A huge herbivore, such a creature. But the aura emanating from its body was outrageous. Every plant that came into contact with its aura instantly withered. The birds and beasts around them were flabbergasted, not knowing what had happened. Only the plants are dead, and the animals are not harmed. With that aura, the four-legged monster zunks straight ahead. Locust. It''s one of those natural disaster-grade monsters that decay all plants and plant-derived matter. Ahead of its path is the village of Linetra. All plants along the Locust''s path are now dead. If we continue onward, Linetra''s crops will be wiped out. I landed once and went to a despairing Sol. "Evacuate everyone just in case. "Okay, I see. Where is Mr. Alec? I''ll try to manage ...... "Huh?It''s so dangerous! "The humans themselves aren''t harmed, are they?It''s okay, go ahead. "Ah-- He overcame Sol''s attempts to stop him and flew toward the Locust with his flying magic. The closer you get to the Locust, the more massive it looks. By the time you''re in range (), you''ll be overwhelmed by the sight of a monster that looks like the mountain itself is moving, even bigger than your parents'' mansion. Sorry, I''m going to have to stop ......! Release the magic, make a magic ball in the manner of a platter spinner. If you ask about the Locust, the Philosopher''s Stone "Impossible to repel, nullify any attack. I said. But I still managed to defeat it and hit it with the seven-colored magic sphere. Fire, ice, and wind--the seven attributes of which hit the Locust--but it didn''t falter, it wasn''t at all responsive. but it didn''t flinch, it was completely unresponsive. As if he was attacked and not at all attacked, the Locust moved on, further rotting the plant. My--My clothes! As I approached to attack, I was harmed. My body was fine, but the clothes I was wearing were rotten, tattered and partly melted off. I rushed to get away from it with my flying magic. If the seven simultaneous attacks didn''t work, now I had to focus on one point. No poke, nearly all of his magic, and kneaded it into a giant red magic ball of fire. It''s bigger than a house in a rural village and it throws a magic ball of magic. The Locust went up in flames--but within seconds the flames were gone. It''s still like nothing happened and we just keep going. Just keep going. Keep going and let every plant along your path rot. Locust. The monster spreads natural disasters just by existing. The Locust''s aura will decay and wipe out any fields that are growing well. What to do, what to do. While I was fretting, the Locust moved on. The distance narrows, and my clothes are affected by the corrosive aura again, making them even more tattered. Potts, something falls out of the tattered clothes and onto the ground. The bag. A bag made from calamity claws. A new bag I thought I could use to fertilize the village if need be. Unlike the tattered clothes, it was quite safe. I picked it up, and just as I wondered why, a downward glance caught an intact leather shoe. "I see, the bag and the shoes are animals, so they''re not affected-- The motion stopped, my eyes were glued to the bag. The thought of possibly ...... crossed my mind. All the while, the Locust continues to move straight ahead, there''s no time to get lost. Instead of worrying, I''m going to try first. I''m determined to shove the Locust. As I shove it, I register the bag for myself. My clothes were rotting at an accelerated rate as I got closer, but I didn''t care. I went straight ahead and touched the Locust anyway. Even a natural disaster monster that would have rotted all plants could not harm a human with its touch. Just grab it--and put it in the bag! When the skin of the body stretched out a bit and entered the bag, it was as if it was primed and the Locust''s entire body was sucked into the bag at great speed. The bag''s owner''s magical power gradually increases in capacity. The bag swallowed a small mountain of the Locust''s massive body! "...... Close the bag, watch for a while. It''s the first time I''ve ever put a creature in there, but the Locust doesn''t seem to be coming out, and there''s no sign of a corrosive aura leaking out. It seems that we were able to capture it, even though we couldn''t defeat ....... "Master Alec! I heard a voice from behind me and turned around to see all the villagers of Linnetra running towards me. The Locust isn''t coming. ...... What happened? "You''re not really going to beat the Locust? The villagers of Linnetra looked at me expectantly, their whole body and eyes shining. The natural disaster Locust, far more terrible to the peasants than the storm. I will do this for you... "Yeah, it''s all right. There were cheers. Sol and several other men suddenly picked me up and threw me in the air. "That''s what I''m talking about, Alec. "Thank you, Baron! "Wow!I''ve never heard of that, wow! For a while, I kept getting tossed up by the Linnetra villagers. At any rate, I''m really glad that the crops are safe. 23 11. The Good Man Becomes the Leader of the Alliance Carlisle''s mansion, your father''s office. Damage reports from the Locust have been coming to your father from all over the country. How is it going, father? My Carlisle estate is safe, as Alec killed it soon after he appeared. Well, the rainy season only lasted a few days longer than usual. "I''m glad to hear that. ...... But Dad?Then why do you look so complicated? Hmm, the Carlisle estate is fine, but the Silva estate "What''s wrong with the Silva territory ...... Angers'' family home? Angelica Silva . My bride, the lovely Angelica Silva . The Silva estate is the domain of her father, Baron Silva, a quasi-baronet. The quasi-baron''s territory is also en route. I hear the crops are ''literally wiped out''. There will be no harvest and no income this year. "Really? ...... "The entire stockpile was rotted away. And the wooden building: ...... It is a terrible monster . Just passing through can cause so much damage without question ...... a true natural disaster. "Yes, and Alec is still amazing at defeating it!It''s the realm of the savior now. Father getting excited by himself. I thought for a moment and said to my father. "Father, I need to talk to you. "Oh, my stupid, well, we should have a victory parade-- "You don''t have to do that. I interrupted your father''s tension with a serious tone and placed the bag in front of him. It''s a bag of food reserves made of calamity claws and connected to magical space. I have been entrusted with the purchase and management of the surplus, so I have it with me. Will you let me help the food stockpile in Carlisle''s territory to support the stricken Silva Territory? "...... Father opened his mouth with an exclamation. Still no good. This bag is small, but it contains an enormous amount of food. We''ve been tirelessly buying up the surplus for the past two years, and there''s already enough to last for a year in a city of a few thousand people. Of course, it has cost a fair amount of money. And if you use it to support them, you are bound to be appalled. Alright, I''ll think of something else... "Oh, whoa! What is wrong with you, father? Your father suddenly began to cry. He let out a roar and literally cried like a waterfall of tears. That''s Alec!That kind heart, now the realm of God! "Well, uh, ...... "Mm!I should help you. "Oh, it''s okay. "b*tc*! Your father clenched his fists and insisted. The tears had stopped, but a trail of them glistened down his cheeks. "There was no stopping Alec from doing good and being admired by the people! "Nah, I see. It was a fatherly reason. "Go ahead, Alec!Spread the whole stockpile out! I''m grateful now that he''s in a good mood, as usual. I had the food stockpiled in Carlisle''s territory to be used for disaster relief in Silva''s territory, and since I had documented it first, I had it delivered to Baron Silva. . A month later, inside the mansion. In the parlor was me, your father, and another young man. A crisp-faced, good-natured young nobleman in his late twenties. Angel''s father, and eventually my father-in-law, the quasi-baronet Silva himself. The father-in-law bowed deeply. Thank you for the food you have given us. I, on behalf of my fellow countrymen, express my deepest gratitude to the Vice-Emperor. "Don''t be so formal, Angier''s dad I said to emphasize "Angers'' father. Officially, I''m vice-imperial, your father a duke and your father-in-law a baronet, so our positions are pretty close. But with Angel''s father, we can talk frankly, dispelling that difference in status. It''s better if there are only these three people here. Thank you for ....... That''s very wise at your age. I envy you that you were able to marry a parent. That''s not all. I''m sorry to say to the quasi-baron, but I also have the courage to defeat the Locust, who were out of control there. "Very good. If you are Alec, you can take the duke''s family to ....... Since you are the Vice-Emperor, the Empire will be safe for decades to come. "You know better than that, quasi-baron. "I envy the duke who is so blessed with a son. Hmm, I must have done some saintly good deeds in a previous life. I''m sure I''ve done some good with my daughter in marriage. My father and father-in-law hit it off. He would brag about me, and my father-in-law would listen curiously and make compliments. They became like best friends for ten years. But ...... such a shame, no, it''s a shame that master Alec still doesn''t have any territory. I''ve been thinking about it too, but my wife stopped me. Alec is ready to go out into the world, don''t rush. And... "I see, I see!But that doesn''t bother us. "You understand? Yes. ....... I wonder if this is that . Is this the trend of your father''s ''Alec religion'' to gain followers? "Yes, my lord. Did you know that some of us noblemen have alliances in case something happens to us, and that some of us have alliances to rule our lands? I''ve heard of it. What do you think, let''s create an Alexander League with Alec as our ally? Of course, we will still rule, and Alec will only be honored. Then don''t you agree, madam? "--Ha! Father stood up with a start. No, his eyes are glittering. "No, dad. That''s too much. "No, no, Master Alec. I''m a baronet and Carlisle is a duke. There''s no harm in forming an alliance with the Vice-Emperor. It''s a very natural fit. "It''s-- So, is it? It came out of nowhere and I''m not sure. I don''t know, but I thought if I didn''t stop it, there might be trouble. Because the "Alexander League" is definitely a construct. "Then we can join forces and spread the word about how wonderful Alec is. You are quite right, sir. And that was the point. "Then we''ll bring in Hossen, too. By Horsen, you mean General Horsen Chohi, the most powerful man in the Empire? "Mm!He''s also a man who could see through Alec''s brilliance. The way you say it, father, it sounds like you''re a man who can do it because you saw how good I was. Okay, here are the three of you. "If we are launching an alliance, we must report to His Majesty. I''ll take care of it. Father went to the window and shouted loudly. Calamity, is Calamity there? Then Calamity, the guardian dragon of the empire, flew in front of the window. "What, father of the Lord! Do me a favor. We are to form an alliance, Alexander. Report this to his Majesty in the capital and ask his permission. "...... Calamity glanced at me. I see that Calamity is only a hop, skip and a jump away from the capital, so I know what to ask. But alas, Father, Calamity can only take orders from me-- I assure you. You know what? "I have no objection to praising the Lord. ...... Yes, Calamity was practically an Aleksandrite too. After all, he seriously asked me if I was a god. The guardian dragon turned around and disappeared into the sky with unprecedented speed - and came back in a few minutes. I''m back! Early! "The emperor has approved. "The emperor has given his approval, allowing the Carlisle and Silva territories to become vice-imperial territories from now on. "And he admitted it so easily! Okay, Eliza, is that all right? "There is one condition for that. "Conditions? Let the words speak for themselves. Calamity cleared his throat and opened his mouth again. But every year, Alec must come to explain and report back to you. Surprisingly, it was the very tone of Eliza''s voice. I don''t know why I bit him in the head, but it''s because I''m not a good imitator. Still, it was great. That''s the thing. And in an instant the voice of Calamity returned to its original. And then he went out the window. I see you have permission. "Mm!Let''s get into more details. To show the whole world how great Alec is. "I''ll help. Your father and father-in-law are in a groove, and it looks like they won''t stop now. Just when you thought the Vice-Emperor was just an honorary position, now he comes with the territory. This is an unexpected development. It seemed that the life of an SSS-ranked person was still evolving. 24 01. Good people, from 1,000 people to popularity The magic school, the third schoolyard. I was teaching a class of students there, which was used for practice. I was only nine years old in body, while the 300 or so students were on the verge of graduation at age 18. The age difference was twice as great, but they were all listening intently to the class. I was slowly releasing my magic power from my fingertips like cigarette smoke. As you can see, the magic power I''m emitting now is thicker or weaker in places. This is my magic cycle. This is my magic cycle, and the rhythm is constant, right? Tell them that the shades of magic are repeating in the same cycle, and then use magic. Rudimentary magic, fireball. Simple fire magic, not even the red magic ball. The same magic is used when the magic is dense and when it is thinnest, and you shoot at the decoy at a distance. A fireball that struck the decoy. The power of the fireball - the thickness of the rolled-up pillar of fire was clearly directly proportional to the shade of magic power. "If you keep track of your magic cycle like this and always use it at its peak, you''ll be able to perform close to your limits. The students were shouting in unison and were impressed. This is a control method called the Mupapato method. Now you can feel the magic wave inside you. When I said that, the students honestly began to do what they were told. The Philosopher''s Stone. A stone I created years ago that contains all the knowledge that exists in the world. From there I extracted a lost and unusable method of controlling magic, called the mupapato system, and taught it to my students. Not only as an honorary principal, but also as a classroom teacher, I thus extract knowledge little by little from the Philosopher''s Stone and teach it to my students. ''''It''s true!It''s more magical than usual! "Me too!I was able to increase the power of my magic. If you don''t use the Mpapat formula and you don''t do it consciously, you''ll only get about 80% of your peak on average. ...... The students were lively and their magic improved quickly. My classes have been generally well received so far. Stars The class was over and I was walking around the school grounds with the principal, Ethan. "Thank you again, Vice-Emperor, You''re welcome. "Oh no, I didn''t know that''s the mupapat system. I didn''t know there was such a thing. As expected of the Vice-Temperor. I''ll work even harder with that in mind from today. "It''s okay for the principal to do it, but don''t teach the younger students yet. How is that? "It''s hard to be aware of the peaks all the time. It takes a lot of strength and concentration, so if you don''t have some foundation, it''s counterproductive. I see, that''s why you only taught it to kids on the verge of graduation. That kind of thing. "I''m impressed that you''ve thought that far ahead. I''m more and more impressed that you''ve thought that far ahead. Ethan crossed his arms and nodded vigorously as he walked. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he clapped his hands. "I would like to ask you for a favor, Your Highness. "What''s a consultation? "I''m sure you know that the seniors I mentioned earlier are graduating soon. Yeah, I was 18, guys. Ethan nodded. At this school, everyone graduates at 18 years old. So it''s time for career guidance. "A career path, Well, since this is a school, most of the students apply to the royal palace, the military, or a nobleman''s office. If you''re in the military, you''ll be able to make a living, and if you win a position on the strength of your abilities, you''ll be guaranteed a high income. Some of them stay in school. "I see. I remembered the tutors I used to have with Angers. I''ve heard they were well paid, too, being tutors to the Duke''s son. I''m sure there are students from the magic school who will go on to do so as well. "Now that His Highness the Vice-Emperor has acquired a fiefdom, would you be willing to accept a graduate? "I guess you want to give the Vice-Emperor a job slot. That''s right. Ethan "By all means! He looked at me with a look of, "What? But ...... the place of employment. The Vice-Imperial Domain . Your father, father-in-law, and Horsen joined forces to form the Alexander League. Emperor Eliza approved it, and their domains were commonly referred to as the Vice-Emperor''s Domain. This is the third year that I''ve become the honorary principal of the magic school and have been teaching classes, but this year is the first year that the Vice-Emperor realm was established, so this is the first time I''ve been asked about getting a job. I thought about it for a moment and nodded. ''''Then there''s just one. "Thank you, Vice-Emperor!Then I''ll go to the public. "Yes. Ethan bowed with a peck and walked away. I wonder what kind of student would want to get a job ....... The next morning, the Horsen mansion . When you come to the magic school to teach, you are supposed to stay at Hossen''s mansion. You can use instantaneous magic to return to Carlisle''s mansion without staying there, but if you do that, the next time you see Hossen, he''ll give you a very sad look, so I make sure to stay there when I come. This time, as usual, the next morning after staying the night, I woke up and came over to Hossen in the living room. "Ha-ha-ha, you''re up, brother-in-law! Good morning, Mr. Hosen. What are you looking at? "Oh, it''s gonna be great. "Funny thing? Crane your neck and listen back. "It''s a message from the Academy to my brother-in-law. Student, I was wondering if you''d be willing to accept one from the Vice-Emperor. That story. Yeah, she asked me to. Why is that funny? I''ve heard you''re inundated with applications.It''s multiplied--about 500 times. "It''s too soon!-- and that''s funny! I snapped. "What''s funny? Because the number of graduates is a little over 300, you know?I know because I taught a class to those people yesterday. There is one frame for it: ...... It''s not going to be multiplied 500 times in any way. What''s that about? Hossen grinned and laughed. "Here it is. I heard that as soon as it was announced that my brother-in-law would be hiring one, he was flooded with applications from young kids to skip the test. "...... skipping class? Oh, I''m going to skip a grade, make it to graduation this year, and get to my brother-in-law''s. I mean, there were almost 200 guys like that. "Err ...... I chuckled. I didn''t know that was going to happen. ...... is that right? "Awesome brother-in-law, very popular. No, no, "Sir, there is further word from the witchcraft school. A maid came into the living room. She bowed curtly and handed Hossen an envelope. Like a rugged warrior, Hossen tore open the envelope at random, pulled out the contents, and read: " ha-ha-ha. "............ hahahahahahaha "What, what?What''s going on? No, it''s just that people are flocking to the school. It''s just that people are rushing to get into the magic school. "What, you want to move in or you''re flooded with ......! "Oh. "Well, no way. ...... Hossen grinned and the corners of his mouth quirked up. "You''re very perceptive, brother-in-law. That''s right, we''ve been inundated with requests from other magic schools to transfer in as our top student. Roughly 500 students. "Word spreads too fast! "That''s roughly a thousand people, my brother-in-law. Just one night after the public announcement. In one slot, 300 graduates, plus 1,000 total It was more than three times the normal maximum of 300 times. 25 02. Good people melt permafrost Before returning to Carlisle''s mansion, I came to the magic school. I don''t have a class today, but instead I have an appointment with a boy I teach privately. I flew from Horsen''s house to the magic school and after landing I walked to the place where the kid was waiting for me. A creek runs through it, a short distance from the schoolhouse. There was a little grown-up Xiaomei Mei. Alexander! Xiaomei looked up and happily called my name. I''m sorry, did I have to wait? "No!I just came from--not!I''ve been doing my homework for Master Alexander, so I''m totally fine. Xiaomei hurriedly reiterated . The long and lustrous black hair, the lovely appearance, and the slightly small animalistic personality . Two years after she met him, at twelve years old, she hadn''t changed much. Then let''s begin today''s class. "Yes! She''s the only student I personally teach. You said you did your homework, so let''s see you do it. "Yes! Xiaomei replied vigorously, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The next moment, his eyes widened and Xiaomei was no longer a small animal. She held up her hand with tremendous concentration and a devilishly serious look on her face, slowly releasing her magic power. This is the same magic that I did in front of three hundred students yesterday, releasing magic power like smoke! The magic Xiaomei released was distinctly different. "--sigh. Xiao Mei took another deep breath, and the magic she was releasing was interrupted. The interruption was when it was pale, and it was when it was thick. Xiaomei only let it out when it was dense beyond a certain point. ''''Shh! And then an even deeper breath. The intervals between interruptions became even greater. You can only let it out when it''s more constant and dense. When we were done, Xiaomei inhaled deeply, stopped releasing her magic and looked at me. "What do you think, Master Alexander? It''s perfect. With regular mupapat, you can scoop up more than 95% and use magic, but Xiaomei is already able to pick out more than 97% to use. "Really?! "Yeah. Did I ever lie to Xiaomei? "--Ha! Xiao Mei was startled for a moment and then shook her head with a pull . ''''Considering the amount of magic and the efficiency of the Mupapaato formula, ...... yes, Xiao Mei is already the best wizard in this magic school . "Really?! I''m not sure if it''s a good idea. I know it''s a long time coming for Xiaomei, but she''s not going to be able to go anywhere when she graduates. I guarantee it. Thank you ...... Xiaomei clasped her hands together on her chest and smiled happily. A smile like a flower. A stranger wouldn''t see her as the best wizard in the school. Xiao Mei''s growth made me happy as if it were my own. I was so happy, but not long afterwards. Sir!Principal! Hmm? "Help me, principal! All of a sudden, boys a few years older than Xiaomei, with different expressions of blood, came over to me. . "My room is ...... In front of the icy door, Xiaomei was in a fit of laughter. The boys have brought her to the magic school dormitory. This wizarding school, which will be a wartime fort, forces all students to live in a dormitory. Of course, but what good is having a box with no contents? It''s a boarding system to ensure that there''s always room inside. Xiaomei was no exception. That''s why Xiaomei''s room is on ice. What''s the meaning of ....... I saw the boy who brought me here, who came running to me for help. He was about sixteen years old, and he looked like a rascal. His name is Patrick, Principal. Patrick you are. What''s this all about? I''m sorry, it was my fault. I accidentally unleashed a study spell that was sent to me from my parents'' house here. "I see. "Please, Mr. Principal, the other teachers will make fun of me if I don''t. I''ve heard about you, sir, and I need you to do something to melt this ice. "...... Yes, I saw Xiaomei. No relation to the boy, but I had to help him because Xiaomei was frozen in her room and was in trouble. Incidentally, the commotion was getting louder and louder. Students who live in the same boarding house are saying, "What''s going on? I''m not going to let this go, I have to hurry. We can''t let it go like this, we have to hurry. We''ll just melt it. Patrick, you and Xiaomei stay back. I get it! "Yes! As the students moved away from the icy door, I approached in reverse and gently touched the ice. Because it was made of magic, I analyzed the magic contained in the ice and transmitted its properties to the Philosopher''s Stone. It''s not simply a matter of using fire magic to melt it; a tool like this made of magic can sometimes be cursed. If you don''t follow the right steps when melting them, the ice and everything else might collapse. That was the right decision. The answer from the Philosopher''s Stone was to infuse it with ultra-pure, attributeless magic. Fire magic would have been absorbed by the opposite, only increasing the strength of the ice. That''s what I thought. With a sigh of relief, you burst the necessary magic. You need to use the Mpapat formula to achieve a high output of 120% at a moment''s notice. People can go beyond their limits, not always and everywhere, but there are certainly moments when you go beyond your limits. Apply the Mpapat formula to find your limits with even more precision than the one you taught Xiaomei. In a fraction of a ten thousandth of a second, it existed, and I released my magic power accordingly. Ultra-pure, attributeless magic power. The magic power was sucked into the icy door - and the room. In the blink of an eye, the ice disappeared without a trace. Okay, now you should be okay. I turned around and saw that Xiaomei was relieved, but Patrick was stunned to death - his jaw was about to drop. What is it, Patrick? "You''re kidding ...... melted permafrost? "...... Patrick, what were you up to? "Eh, ...... ah. He narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice to inquire about the strange reaction. Patrick went pale. Well, it looks like it wasn''t just an accident. In the principal''s office, after hearing from Patrick, Ethan reported to me. "He confessed that he wanted to embarrass the Vice-Emperor. Me? Yeah, you''re a kid, but you''re a principal and a teacher, and you''re so cocky. And he didn''t like the fact that everyone only talked about getting a job with the Vice President. It''s a vendetta. "So they''re going to pretend that the magic tool they ordered, Permafrost, is just ice and make fun of it because they couldn''t melt it. His friends spread the rumor that he''d invited other students from the dormitory to watch the show. "What is such a thing ......, permafrost? It is the magic of perpetual freezing that no human hand has ever melted in the past hundreds of years. It is used to preserve the bodies of loved ones who have passed away because it can never be melted by human hands or by nature. "...... Ethan looked at me with respect. More importantly, ...... was that ice that was so amazing. 26 03. The Good Man Resumes Magic Theory of Magic Patrick was to be given a fair share of the blame. First, the disrespect to me, the vice emperor, was forgiven by me. Are you sure? Yeah. Because he played a prank on a teacher at school, that''s all. "...... is right. Ethan was surprised and then looked at me with respectful eyes again. Thank you for your generous judgment. I''m not being generous, I''m just saying what I said. Yes, it was. Hon, Patrick Hans. "Yes, yes! After being exposed for his evil plans, Patrick, like a boy his age, is defeated by the principal, Ethan. Ethan gives Patrick a stern look and hands down the sentence. As punishment, you are to weed the school grounds for a week. Alone, of course, no magic. "Ehhhhh! Patrick screamed. No magic for a week on the grounds of the huge wizarding school that serves as this fort. Yeah, fair enough. "That''s for trying to do something funny to the teacher. Or do you think I''m being punished for going rogue with the honorary principal?Then you''ll be expelled on the first try? "I''m going to go weed out now! Patrick gave a quick salute and walked away. As you see them off, Ethan sighed with a disgusted smile. By the way, if you judge him against an honorary principal, you''ll be expelled with one shot, but if you disrespect him against the vice-president, you and your parents will be hanged at the very least. It''s worth defending him to the extent that he''ll be pale as an adult when he remembers his dark history. Well, let''s forget about Patrick. It was a kid''s prank and as long as it''s coming at me, I''m in the clear. Now that we''re done, we should get back to the Carlyle house. And just when I was thinking. ...... Xiaomei? I saw Xiaomei silently staring at her room, not entering the room, just staring. She didn''t even enter the room, she just stared at it. Just wondering why, she raised her hand and raised her magic power. Using the highest efficiency mupapato style, she uses magic at 97% of her limit. The next moment, the door of the room froze. "What''s wrong Xiaomei, why did you do that? Oh, I''m sorry, Mr. Alexander. I was wondering if I could do some of that magic. "You mean the permanent freeze? "Yes. I know, Xiaomei was good at the ice attribute. Are you worried about it? "Let''s see ...... yes For some reason, she held her tongue for a moment, but immediately afterwards nodded clearly at Xiaomei. I reached for the door that Xiaomei had frozen and touched it directly to make sure it was still there. It''s already starting to melt. "Yes ...... I guess I can''t do that? Xiao Mei to be shunned . I asked the Philosopher''s Stone how to melt it. Earlier it told me how to melt it, but now it told me how to freeze it. The magic of perpetual freezing. The Philosopher''s Stone has all the knowledge. Soon I got an answer, and the whole process flowed into my head. It wasn''t that difficult of a spell, there''s a good chance Xiaomei could do it right in front of me. In order to demonstrate it, I first melted the door that Xiaomei had frozen. "Xiaomei, as I said before, the permanent freeze is no longer human-- "Watching Xiao Mei I told Xiaomei and touched her hand to the doorknob of her room. You don''t need that much magic if you want to freeze it. I used my magic to match the 100% peak that I could pick up with the Mpapat formula. Instantly, the doorknob froze. I knocked on the frozen spot with the second joint of my middle finger and then lightly roasted it with my flame spell. It didn''t seem to melt at all, even with my fire magic. Permafrost, permafrost, perpetual freeze spell, it worked! What! Ethan was exclaiming beside me. It''s just like Patrick''s before, his jaw is about to drop. That''s Xiaomei. She wasn''t surprised, but rather stared at my hand and at the frozen doorknob. How''s that?Xiaomei. Do you know how to do that now? "Yes!It was similar to the magic formula of Amorphous, which Alexander taught me three months ago. You have a good review, that''s right. Okay, now let''s see what you can do. I took a step back and watched as Xiaomei took up the challenge. Xiaomei took a breath and began to challenge the perpetual freeze magic with a serious expression. I froze the doorknob to see if it would melt. We tried five times in a row, but none of them resulted in a permanent freeze, and when we touched it with our hands after it froze, it had already begun to melt. There were a lot of failures, but Xiaomei was undeterred. I watched her and the process closely. A failure is a failure, but it''s not a complete failure. I''m almost there, I''m almost there. Failure at that level. Just as when you push an object, the beginning of the movement is the hardest, and once you start moving, the rest is rather easy. Xiaomei is also not able to push that "start of movement" at the very edge. Once you succeed, your body will learn the rest. I asked the wise man''s stone if there was any way I could help. There was a way. Having learned it well, I stood behind Xiaomei as she tried for the sixth time and put a hand on her small back. Oh my!Oh, Mr. Alexander! Concentrate and do what you always do. "--Yes! Xiaomei did as he was told and immediately concentrated. She put all her trust in me and quietly searched for the peak of her magic. Help me, you have one thing to do: match your magic output to Xiaomei''s. I can feel the rhythm of her magic through my hand on her back. I matched Xiaomei''s normal peak of 97% of the Mpapat formula that I''ve seen up close and personal many times. Xiaomei uses her magic, and to match it, the "same output" of magic power comes out through her body together. The next moment, the doorknob froze. Xiaomei timidly reached out and touched it to make sure it was still there. It''s cool. ...... It won''t melt. ......!I won''t melt, Mr. Alexander! "Let''s see. I used my fire magic to check. Xiaomei froze the doorknob, and there was my flame magic. The freeze on the doorknob did not melt at all. Congratulations on your success, Xiaomei. "Yes! Xiaomei was extremely pleased. This time he touched the name plate in his room and used the same permanent freezing spell. This time he didn''t help this time, but-- "Success again, Mr. Alexander! You got it. As it appeared, once he had succeeded, Xiaomei was able to do it on his own. After that, she had frozen many of her own possessions, but all of them were successful. Xiaomei is a brilliant and smart kid. "...... Hsu, Vice-Emperor. Meanwhile, Ethan, who''s been stunned for a while now. He called my name in a horrified manner. What''s the matter with you? "What is that, huh? "Now?As you can see, it''s a permanent freeze, "No, no, it''s not that either ...... but more importantly, what His Highness the Vice-Emperor did to Mr. Xiaomei. What the hell is that ...... "Yeah. I matched the wavelength of the magic to temporarily increase the output in series. I knew that Xiaomei could do the rest once he came out of his shell. "Exactly. Ethan''s eyes widened in confusion, as if he heard a word he didn''t know. He said, "Yeah, you don''t know if you can double your output in series ......? "Yes, yes!It''s new to me. "So is it possible to extend the duration of magic or magic power in parallel? "What''s that? I explained to an astonished Ethan. Series -- A method of increasing power by the number of people by combining peak magic power. Parallel -- a way to increase the duration of magic by the number of people by combining people with equal amounts of available magic power. I explained these two theories to Ethan, but he knew neither of them. I didn''t know you had developed such a theory ...... I''m always amazed at the magical sense of His Highness the Vice-Emperor. ...... Ethan was incredibly impressed. I didn''t develop it. Suddenly, Ethan''s eyes widened. "Wow!Huh, Vice-Emperor! "Hmm?What''s going on? "That serial?And, to the heck of it? Just heard the word, series and parallel, probing and pronouncing the pronunciation of the word, close to me. "Excuse me!Will you give us the gift? "You want me to tell you? "What''s up! Ethan was urging me with a great deal of force and desperation. After a little thought, I realized why. ...... I know, series and parallel, they''re both for groups. And this wizardry school, when the time comes, will be an army--mass combat. "Yes!I thought the technology would be revolutionary! I see. If that''s the case, I''ll have to tell you. 27 04. Good people, have a special one-on-300 class Magic School, Third Schoolyard. The three hundred most senior students, who had been hastily assembled, were divided into several groups by Ethan. After finishing the grouping, Ethan came to me, who was waiting at a distance. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Vice-Emperor. "I''m fine. More importantly, that grouping was quicker. "I''ve seen these kids since they were children. I know the total amount of magic and the maximum output, and they know as well as I do, and they know as well as I do. I see, and so does it. When I was convinced, I approached the students and began to explain - an extra lesson. Series. How to combine people whose magic power is close to its peak and increase its power by the number of people by only one person to execute it. Parallel. A method of extending the duration of the spell by the number of people by combining people with similar amounts of magic power and leaving one person to execute it. I taught both theories to my students. Theoretically, the more people you have, the more powerful your magic is in series, and in parallel, the more you have, the longer your magic lasts. The students who heard the story looked skeptical. It''s the first time they''ve heard of it, so that reaction is inevitable. "More proof than debate. Okay, you two over there, step forward. I beckoned to two of the grouped students with about the same maximum magic power. First, like in any other class, try to shoot the decoys there with a fireball. "Yes. The two, both 18 years old and seniors, chanted their magic in a familiar manner and shot fireballs at the decoys they had set up at a distance. The real purpose of this school of magic is to be a bastion for the emperor''s reemergence, and the students are considered soldiers when that happens. That''s why I teach everyone in class to use the fireball, which is the easiest to control as a soldier and can be used reasonably well even if it''s not your strongest attribute. A fireball launched smoothly destroys a decoy. It''s as powerful as they always are, and they''re both the same. Yeah. Now hold hands. Now hold hands and shoot the fireball, both of you using the Mupapato method, with an eye on the 90% easy catch. Oh, just you on the right. ""...... yes" They hesitated a little, but did as they were instructed by me, just as before. Hand in hand, combine your magical output and shoot a single fireball. The fireball destroys the decoy. It was clearly twice as powerful as before, and the decoy disappeared without a trace. . It really has doubled in power. "For such a thing ......?Seriously? ...... Putting their amazement aside for the moment, he turned his body to the other group. "Everyone here has roughly the same amount of magic power - or stamina, "''Yes'' Then hold hands, and while you''re at it: ...... you can simultaneously deploy your anti-magic and anti-magic walls. I understand. I told our students to parallel. When the barriers were put up, on my signal, arrows flew toward those students. It was a fixed pedestal crossbow at a distance. The arrow is a squashed arrowhead, which is used to practice barriers by reducing the deadly force to a minimum. Operated by another supporting teacher, the arrows are fired one by one by the students'' barriers, losing momentum as they fall to the ground. The arrows in the rain shelter, hundreds of them. Even though the prepared arrows had been shot out, the magical barrier was still in place. No! ...... I''ve never had a barrier like this before. "I have a lot of magic left. It''s still going strong. Like the students in series, the students who put up the barriers in parallel were also marveling at the effect. ''Let''s try some more!'' But the decoys are gone. "And the arrows. Normally, there''s more than enough. "Everyone take a little break . In the meantime, we''ll prepare for the next one. Ethan said to the students. The students said in unison, "Yes," or "Oh, well. Wait. The students'' tension was broken and I stopped them before they went into break mode. "What can I do for you, Vice-Emperor? I think we''d better keep going if you want to experience the benefits. "But the decoys and arrows-- Let me do it for you. Guys, keep doing the same thing you just did. When he said that, Ethan paused for a moment and then nodded. Then he turned to his students. "As you heard, we will remain in place until the Vice-Emperor finishes rehearsing the decoys and arrows. You don''t have to wait. "Huh? "Barrier group, let''s go. I then shot fireballs at the students who were putting up parallel barriers. I lowered the output as much as I could, reducing the power of each one to the same level as the arrows I had just fired, and instead shot hundreds of them in succession, incessantly. The students who were about to quit the barrier panicked for a moment, but the barrier held up fine. The weak fireball hits the magic barrier--it keeps getting played. Unlike the arrows, my magic power can shoot this level of fireball all day and night and it won''t run out of magic. So I kept firing. On the other hand. "The tandem group. "Yes, yes! "What is it? Think of me as a decoy and go ahead and shoot me. "Well, if you do that, you''ll have to go to ...... And I''m doing that one too: ...... Go ahead and shoot. Go ahead and shoot me. Just a little too hard, the students nodded hurriedly and shot a double fireball, matching the magic output in series. I prevented it with a magical barrier. To achieve the same effect as the decoy, to make them feel the power. I assessed the power of the students'' fireballs and made sure they were just enough to cancel out and shatter the barrier with a single shot. As the barrier is shattered, you immediately put up a new barrier and have it shattered again. Simultaneously do a parallel barrier opponent with a weak fireball in your left hand and a strong fireball opponent with a barrier in your right hand. Wow, wow. ...... "You''re dealing with us all by yourself. ......? "I''ve seen a lot of wizards in my day and I''ve never seen someone do all these things at once. "I''ve been wondering for a while now: ...... Who is the Vice-Emperor, really? "Hey, don''t talk nonsense. Attackers and defenders need to be more focused. ""Yes, yes! Once I scolded them, they were indeed the most advanced students. Everyone was concentrating on practicing series and parallel practice with me. And after half a day, they had all learned the new way of doing things very well. 28 05. Good people remodel training tools The class is over and the students are dismissed. Learning new techniques and moving on to the next stage. All had an excited or satisfied look on their faces. I look away. Suddenly, I hear a clanging sound from the side. I turn around and there is a grown woman. She had long hair and was tall, and she looked like a calm, collected adult. "I''m sorry, Your Highness, "You''ve just shot a bolt of crossbow ...... "My name is Kara Faith, Your Highness. The magic school''s mistress, Kara, bowed to me reverently. Then. Rattle rattle. The arrow she had picked up and was holding, the arrowhead crushed in her arms and fell to the ground with a crash. Sorry, I''ll pick it up right away. Kara then crouched down and picked up the arrow again and held it in her arms. Then she stood up and, once again, she Sorry for the disturbance, excuse me. And bowed to me to walk away. Rattle rattle. The arrow spilled out of his arm again and fell to the ground. ...... "...... A delicate air flowed. "I''m not going to go on. I have shown you disgrace not once, but twice! A series of mistakes made Kara start to panic, her eyes are giddy. The crisp, tall and beautiful air she had been in a moment ago was gone, and she was gone without a trace. Calm down, okay? In her haste to pick up the arrow properly, I put it together and magically lifted it up. It''s too heavy for the muscles of a nine-year-old, but with magic, this amount is nothing to sneeze at. I lift it effortlessly and ask her. Where do I put it? "Oh no!We can''t let Your Highness do this. I''ll just go over there for now. I went through Kara''s fearfulness and went to the Noh with the arrows in my hand. Quite a few arrows had already been collected and piled up next to the Noh. I piled the arrows I''d brought with me on top of the pile. Kara bowed as she chased after me. Oh, thank you. You''re welcome. I was watching the class just now. Kara, who had calmed down from her panic, was once again wearing the air of a calm, collected, mature woman. "You''re dealing with both sides, or rather, three hundred of your finest students at the same time. We have to admit, Your Highness is very impressive. Thank you. This one, on the other hand, is ...... Kara looked at the Noh with a pained look on her face. I looked at it, and I noticed that a part of the Noh was broken. "Oh, it''s broken. I wasn''t out of ammunition. I was getting close to the number of arrows, and at the same time, I had never fired in a row this long in my training, so my endurance could not keep up. "I see. If we don''t fix it today, it will interfere with the students'' practice. The underclassmen will use it. I see. Then I''ll fix it. "Huh?No, that would be too much trouble for His Highness. I''m an honorary principal and teacher, so I have to put my students first. "Your Highness ...... Kara looks at me with a mixture of surprise and excitement. ''Oh, but ......'' What''s up? Kara was almost convinced that I would do it, but again she had difficulty. "I know a lot about Your Highness. I''ve heard rumors of you outside the Academy. "Haha. ...... It''s rumored that everything is more powerful when His Highness is involved, including this class. I didn''t know that was what they thought. "This Noh is for training students, so if it becomes more powerful, it will be ...... That''s what you''re worried about. It''s okay, I know. I''m not going to do anything to make you more powerful. Yes, yes. Then go to ....... Once Kara was convinced, I faced the broken crossbow. I''m going to check the broken part first. This level of damage should be easy to fix. I saw a pile of training arrows. Although there are quite a few of them, this kind of number is not even close to enough for training. In order to train parallel magic barriers, you need to be able to strike them longer and longer. A longer strike, a moderately less powerful strike. The wise man''s stone, which I carry with me at all times, tells me that I have something that fulfills these two requirements. The stone. I could. The day is almost over when I finished modifying the Noh. The students will be using it tomorrow, so I used magic to fix it with a super express. You''re going to be able to have a great time. "Wow, it was repaired in an instant: ...... So, Kara, can you take a look at it to see if it''s healing properly? I understand. Kara took the arrow and tried to nock it to the crossbow. "Wait, I don''t need the arrows. "Huh? Pull the string and set it empty. "Will it be like this--eh! amazed Kara. As she pulled and set the bowstring of the Noh, the Noh itself sucked up dirt from the ground. The dirt is then gradually transformed into multiple arrows, which are set on the strings ready to be fired. What is this? "Try it. "Yes, yes Puzzled, Kara released the bolt as she was told. Plucked by the string, the earthen arrows flew together. The earthen arrows stabbed into the ground in the distance in a parabolic pattern no different than wooden arrows. Immediately afterwards, the arrows disintegrated and returned to the earth as the original soil. Yeah, I guess it worked. "Your highness, this, this? As you can see, it is designed to automatically generate arrows from the soil when you set it. As long as there''s dirt around, you won''t run out of bullets. As you can see, it''s so fragile that it returns to the ground as soon as it hits the target. However, it keeps its shape as it flies, so if you hit it without a barrier, it would be pretty painful. "...... It''s perfect for parallel barrier training. "...... I''ll explain, but I notice that Kara is still raving about it. What''s the matter with you?Was this bad? "No, it''s not! Kara buzzed around with her hands crossed in a hurry - gosh! In the heat of the moment, I hit my hand against a pile of wooden arrows and scream in agony. I wonder if it is ...... the constitution of a screw-up that is triggered by panic. Carla held back her teary eyes and said to me, "No, it''s not. It''s not. I thought it was great. Yeah? "...... "What''s up again?This time you stare at the IJN with a dull face. If you see something wrong, don''t be afraid to tell me, your students'' studies are the top priority. "No, it''s not, it''s just ...... "Just? I just thought, "If the rumor is true and there''s a deputy emperor who can do ...... anything like this, we''re all going to be useless and unemployed sooner or later. That''s all I can think of. ...... That''s troubling. That''s not my intention. I''ll try not to be. 29 06. Increase the employment rate of good people This day also came to the magic school in the morning and watched the training of the most senior students. Series attack magic and parallel magic barriers. Although the students are still not fully mastering them, they are still much stronger than before. If they continue to improve at this rate, they will all have mastered it before graduation. That''s a good thing. Depending on your students'' progress, a series of barriers and parallel magic attacks. Prolonged prickly attacks on shields that prevent anything from happening. I''m thinking of teaching these as well. It''s absolutely ...... unbelievable. "Eliza--Sire! Suddenly, a person came beside me and spoke to me. It was Eliza in imperial dress, in emperor''s mode. I was about to say her name, but then I remembered that I was in front of the people - in front of the students - so I called her back. "He-Hey, Your Majesty? "It''s true, Your Majesty. "How did you end up here: ...... Still, my voice was heard, and the 300 students who were training me noticed Eliza and started buzzing all at once. I came because it was reported. I didn''t think it was possible, but now that I''ve seen it, I still can''t believe it. When she''s in emperor mode, Elisa''s tone is a bit stiff and unapproachable, but she''s so dignified, I''m in love with her. I like her. I asked her back. "What do you mean you don''t believe? I''ve been informed. Sir Alexander has raised his students ten times stronger in one night. "Report? He tilted his head and then looked at Ethan with a huff. The elderly wizards school principal had a subtle smug look on his face. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one who''s been in this situation. I thought it was just a joke, but when you see it in person ...... it''s much more than a tenfold increase. Yeah, that could be ten times more, depending on the operation. Hey guys, what are you babbling about?Your Majesty is coming. Then this is a tour de force. Can we resume practice properly? As I said this, the students huffed and hurriedly resumed their training. Students firing fireballs in series increasingly shredded the decoys. Students putting up barriers in parallel blocked the arrows falling like a hailstorm while showing that they could afford to maintain their magical barriers indefinitely. You have done a great job raising me. Sir Alexander, I thank you. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I''ll have to take the prize, anything you want. "No. If it pleases His Majesty, that''s good enough for me. For a moment, Eliza''s face was flushed with vermilion. She looked upset for some reason, but in emperor mode she was back on her feet in an instant. "Well, no thanks. "Yeah. I''m just doing my job. Sometimes you had a fiance. Hm?What are you talking about all of a sudden? If you''re talking about Angier, I''m sure Eliza knows about it: ....... I''m not sure, but I answered anyway. Yes, sir. I am Angelica Silva, eldest daughter of Baron Silva, The daughter of a baronet is a little out of place in your official capacity as vice emperor. Here''s your chance, let''s make her my sister-in-law. "Your Majesty? Mm, so she is a member of the royal family ....... Then it is commensurate with your status. The students stopped again, and they all cheered in unison. The students all quickly understood that it was Elisa''s "reward" for making Angel a sister-in-law. Men can be rewarded for their accomplishments by giving them a position or promotion, but this is difficult with women. So, it is common for the emperor to make his daughter-in-law ...... or, if the emperor is young or close in age like Eliza, his sister-in-law. If you have a daughter-in-law or sister-in-law, she''ll be a princess - a princess of the highest order. It''s like a princess. That''s great. "Is this the first new addition to the imperial family by the current emperor? "Oh, an honorable first. Students buzzing . There is no reason to refuse Angel to be the princess or ...... and I''ve decided to accept it with open arms. "Thank you, Your Majesty, Hmmm. But you''re still tremendous. I''m glad I sent you to school. "I see. "You would do it one after the other, but with all these students growing up ...... it would be a shame to let the private sector take them away. Eliza thought for a moment and then said, "The principal. It''s the principal. "Yes, what is it? Let''s double ...... or even triple the number of slots in the Guard this year. It''s even louder than before, or perhaps the loudest cheer of the day. The Emperor''s personal guard is a very popular job market for this magic school, and I don''t even need to mention it. After all, the Emperor''s personal guard, the pay is good and stable. It is also known that among the many career paths, it is the easiest to get the attention of the emperor when you make achievements, which makes it easier for you to rise in the ranks. Even if you do the same thing, your chances of success are nearly double compared to others. That''s why it''s a highly competitive job market, with a considerable amount of competition every year. Since Eliza announced that she would triple the number of openings, it''s no wonder that the students cheered with joy. "Thank you, Your Majesty. Good, I''m just saying the obvious. It would be a shame to let them take such a well-grown student. "That''s exactly what ...... does, "Hmm?What''s the counterargument? Eliza closed her eyes and looked at Ethan. Ethan replied calmly, smiling. I don''t think it will be a problem for the Vice-Emperor to raise us one by one. "Hmmm, I guess that''s true. Eliza agreed with Ethan''s words. "Once again--on behalf of my students, I would like to thank you, Your Majesty. "If you want to thank him, go to Sir Alexander. It was his teachings that led to this result. It is indeed, Your Highness. We thank you, Your Highness. When Ethan said this, the students, who had been overjoyed by Eliza''s declaration, looked at me in unison. Their joy turned to respect and gratitude, and they looked at me. 30 07. Good men, they will raise their stocks even more Alone with Eliza, I walked around the grounds of the magic school. She''s still in her imperial uniform, but since there''s no third party around, she takes on a frank tone that she only does to me. Thank you, Alec. "Huh? The students, you did a great job raising them. Do you like it? Yes, of course. Eliza smiled with satisfaction. I''m sure that if you graduated like this, you''d be new out of school, but you''d still be as competent as a veteran soldier. All of them are definitely ready to go. Yeah, I think that''s about it. "So, thank you. You''re welcome. I''ll keep on raising more for Eliza. "--Ha! Eliza''s eyes widened for a moment, gasped, and a slight tint to her cheeks. "Yes, please. "Yes. ...... If that''s what you mean. For some reason, Eliza''s face flushed, but in the next moment she was back to her usual self. The tone is an ordinary girl, but the expression and what you see () is unmistakably the Imperial Emperor. I wish the current Guard could be re-educated as well. "Even the Guard? Yes, I''m going to re-enroll you in the Academy of Magic while you''re still in the Guard. How could you do that? Otherwise, you wouldn''t be able to learn the latest technology. I''m not going to let them get away with it once they get a job. ...... Yeah, that''s it. You have to be that tense. The guards are people whose safety depends on Eliza''s safety in case of emergency. However, there are many inconveniences to being in this school of magic. The basics are already in place, and it''s just a matter of learning to quickly override the latest technology. ...... Thinking for a moment, Eliza said to blurt out. "New construction? Yes, it''s going to be called the Upper School of Magic, or something like that. It''s located at ...... in Alec''s territory. "Huh?My? I was surprised to be rejected out of the blue. You''re going to raise me for me, right? "...... Yeah, okay . I got it. You got it. Eliza nodded with a satisfied look on her face. The new witchcraft school has been entrusted to you, and you''re going to have to do more work, but it''s necessary for you to protect her and that''s all that matters. Well, I''m going back to the palace now. Well, I''m going back to the palace. Yeah, see you later. When the story was settled, Eliza and I parted ways and saw her off. "Hey, what''s this all about? I was hanging out at the magic school for a while when Eliza came back from her trip, and she came back with a terrible sword. What do you mean by that? If you look closely, you can see that Eliza has grabbed Xiaomei''s arm and is pulling her to me. I''m not sure if it''s because of the forceful pull, but she''s breathing heavily. "Ha, ha, ha ...... Mr. Alexander ...... "What''s up, Xiaomei? "Yo, I don''t understand. I was practicing my magic when Her Majesty suddenly "Hm. ...... What''s up Eliza Eliza''s lips twitched as she listened. You hardly ever see her sulking. ''This is nothing, if there is a girl like this, tell me what''s going on. "Who is this girl? "You should try again what you just did. "Yes, yes Is it because the opponent is the emperor, or is it purely because of the pressure of his swordsmanship? Xiaomei''s breath had calmed down and he looked slightly frightened as he plucked a flower from the ground. He held it in his hands and held it to his chest in a prayerful pose. He closed his eyes and let his magic build up. The magic was activated and the flower Xiaomei was holding froze in place. The flower was trapped inside the ice block like an object. In a sense, it was amber. That one was like a jewel trapping a worm, and this one was like a jewel trapping a flower. Nice work, Xiaomei. You''re really good at this. "Thank you, Mr. Alexander, Xiaomei smiled neatly. The magic of permanent freezing . I taught Xiaomei the magic of permanent freezing and it was completely mastered. ''''Why didn''t you tell me? As I was rejoicing and praising Xiaomei''s growth, Eliza interrupted me from the side with a disgruntled voice, "You didn''t tell me? "Didn''t you tell me? "No, that''s not it. How did you raise such a great kid? I don''t know how. "Those students were great, but they''re just ready to go. Eliza pointed at Xiaomei and said, "This girl is not that good! The girl is not on that level!This perpetual freeze magic is more awesome than any of the sorcerers the Empire employs. "...... ah. Come to think of it, I think that might be true. I think Ethan said something similar, that there is no one who can do a permanent freeze or something. I see...so Xiaomei is already at that level. How did you raise her? "How do you say ...... normally? When he replied, Eliza was taken aback and exclaimed. Slightly later, he sighed. I guess that means ...... I still haven''t given you the benefit of the doubt. "I wonder. "Fortunately, I''m sorry. I don''t think this is anything to be sorry for. Apparently, my stock in Eliza''s mind has gone up another notch. 31 08. The Good Man Turns the Devil into an Angel Eliza sighed, but quickly returned to her usual expression. She''s great at separating and recovering quickly, and I think that''s what makes her so attractive. I''ll leave it to others to educate the veterans. Are you sure? Anybody could have done that. More importantly, ...... you raise this kind of child, this kind of irreplaceable child. "Yes, if Eliza says so, "So, you''re ...... Xiaomei, right? "Ha, ha! Xiaomei chewed lightly and saluted the Emperor Eliza in an upright and immovable pose. "My name is Xiaomei Mei! "I want you to come to the palace right away. Does that mean you''re going to graduate and get a job? I asked on behalf of a nervous Xiaomei. Yes I am. If you can do this, you won''t have to study at a magic school anymore. I''m going to give you a skip grade. "I see. I looked at Xiaomei. The will of the person himself is important in these matters. Xiaomei is not usually shy or assertive and I wanted to hear what she really thought - but. I''m sorry. Contrary to expectations, Xiaomei insisted to Eliza with trepidation but without hesitation. ''''I can''t go to Your Majesty,'''' "What? I would also like to study a little more beside Mr. Alexander. The Emperor Eliza scowling, the little animal Xiao Mei staring back at it without flinching. The composition looks like a squirrel threatening a dragon before being eaten. They stared at each other for a while and then ...... Eliza snapped. What do you mean? With a questioning but convinced tone of voice, Elisa sighed and said, "I''m not sure what to expect. I don''t know. ...... And now look at me with dumbfounded eyes. "Huh?What? It''s nothing. Xiaomei, right? "Ha, ha! "Don''t be so nervous, I''m not angry. "Yes, yes ...... "I understand. Forget about that. "I''m sorry, Your Majesty. ...... It''s okay. If he was the cause of the problem, I''ll have to accept it. Better yet, you should learn about it. I must have done something really good in a past life to be able to study with him, okay? Eliza pointed at me and said, "I''m sure Xiao Mei wanted to study with me. It''s true that Xiaomei wanted to study with me as a reason for refusal, but that doesn''t mean that the source of that is connected to me. I don''t know, but we''ve settled the matter, so I''ll leave it at that. "-Hah! What''s wrong with you, Alec, you''ve changed your expression. "This is ...... this magical anomaly-- When I noticed it, I turned around and, out of the corner of my eye, from far away, there was an explosion. The ground shook a little later, a huge explosion so huge that smoke rose to the sky. Don''t! "Hey Alec! Leaving Eliza and the others behind, I jumped out with my flying magic. I went to the center of the explosion at full speed and found myself in a dungeon on the grounds of a magic school. Smoke billowed out of the dungeon, and a group of students ran for their lives as if they were running for their lives. What''s going on? "Ah, the vice emperor teacher ...... One of the students looked at me and looked away awkwardly. You look familiar. They were just a few minutes ago in class, the finest students in the school of magic. All of them are seniors, and if you look closely-- They''re all injured, and they''re all badly hurt. One of the students, who had crawled away with the help of his fellow students, was seriously injured, even to the untrained eye, in the months. What happened to him?You guys know this dungeon very well, you''ve been going there for years and you can''t get hurt like this. You know this dungeon well, you''ve been coming here for years. "Ugh ...... The uninjured students awkwardly turned away. "Answer me! When pressed, one of the students replied timidly, "Let''s test our strength. "We''re just going to test you. "Test of strength? With the magic that the Vice-Emperor taught me, I''m going to challenge the deeper levels that we don''t normally dive into. "At first it was going smoothly. But it caught me off guard. "The next thing I knew, there was a tremendous monster in front of me ...... and we all worked together in a straight line and tried to defeat it ...... One of them began to repent, and one by one the students explained the situation to me. Just then, the dungeon exploded again. A pillar of fire rose up from the ground, bursting through the dungeon''s entrance and spewing heavenly fire. Hihihi! The students were totally frightened. They were hunched over or slumped to the ground. This is not good. "Eliza! Eliza is catching up with me after I left her in the same place I just left her. The situation was immediately apparent to her and she had a serious look on her face. Eliza stay away. "Yeah. I''ll have the guards waiting right outside the school, and I''ll go get them. Eliza said and left the place at a fast pace. He was quick to judge. When Eliza decided that the students and teachers are no longer likely to be able to handle the situation at the student and teacher level, she immediately decided to summon the imperial guards. It''s not wrong, it''s the best decision Eliza can make. Boom! But the situation is getting worse at an accelerated rate. The third explosion, the entrance to the dungeon was further jumbled. I can feel the mighty magic approaching, coming out!--. such momentum. "Vice-Emperor! I jumped into the dungeon, leaving the astonished students behind. The moment I entered the dungeon, the dense magic almost choked me. But at the same time, it tells me where my opponent is. I went to the source of the magic. I soon came across my opponent. A man with six jet-black wings flapping on his back. We ran into each other, then stopped and stared at each other. "You''re a demon ....... "Ah An?What''s up with you, kid? The demon swung his hand out to the side. It''s as if a winged insect flew in front of him, and he paid it off. . A moment later, a lump of pure, pitch-black magic flew toward me. I quickly put up a magical barrier to block it. My hand went numb. ...... and you''re unharmed now. Who the hell are you, kid? "Alexander Carlyle. What is more, what are you?Why do you do this? I am Azazel. I will destroy everything that can be known and everything that can be done. "Destroy all? "I had no power because I was just reborn, but the kids have broken my seal. I will use this power to destroy everything. There was madness in Azazel''s eyes as he spoke. So the students attacked in series with the increased magic, but it wasn''t damage, it was some mistake that broke his seal. It happens all the time, and an attack is a mighty rush of power when you get right down to it. It can either blow up a body''s tissues as damage or it can blow out the seal on the person. So in this case it was the latter. No, it''s more than that. "You shouldn''t do that, because if you do that, after you''re dead-- "I know, idiot. "--What? "You''re trying to tell me that if you keep doing bad things, the next life will be a disaster, right?I know because I''ve been forced to live a series of demons. Because I''m being forced to live a devil''s life for the rest of my life. It''s ...... "The devil is an unbelievable feeling of pain in your body just to be alive. It''s painful, it''s hard, but a little bit won''t kill you. "...... I did something so bad a long time ago that I was made to be born a demon nine times in a row. I don''t even remember what I did, and they made me remember just that. That''s all I''m supposed to remember. ...... was. "If I''m going to be forced to be reborn as a demon in the future, I''ll do whatever I want at this moment when I have the power! It was very sad. She was desperate, desperate, telling herself that it didn''t matter anymore. Maybe that''s why the memory is still there, because it''s a punishment. I was reborn as a demon no matter how many times I tried, an unending torment. No matter how many times I''m reborn, I can''t escape the prison of my soul. Such a sad fate. What? But that doesn''t mean you can''t . If you go around smashing random things you see now, the nightmare will continue. You won''t be able to persuade him, and that''s more than just rude. You''re not going to convince him to shut up and accept his suffering. I asked the Philosopher''s Stone. I asked the philosopher''s stone, who has all the knowledge, which I carry with me always. A way to free us from suffering. The Philosopher''s Stone taught me one way. A very difficult way, but. It''s the way to go. "What the hell are you mumbling to yourself? Azazel flew at me. She came at me with a vicious face and skin-piercing murderous intent. I thrust out my hand, concentrating my magic on the tip of it. A life of SSS rank, so much magic that I could be a god if I chose. Keep it going and keep it coming out. The forefinger and middle finger are aligned, and the magic power is concentrated on the tip of the forefinger. The magic condenses into a dazzling, sunny little ball. Ta-da. Azazel, startled but unable to stop the onrushing momentum. Cross-counter, thrusting a small sun into his body while parrying the attack. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Azazel clutched his chest and moaned. "Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot-- Struggling, writhing Azazel. Light leaked out of his body and enveloped his body. He became lightheaded. With all his magic drained, he couldn''t stand. Alec! "...... eli, the It was Eliza, who came into the dungeon with her personal guard, who supported me from behind. "You''ve been worn out to this point: ...... That demon is such a powerful enemy. Eliza raised her hand, and in response, she saw signs of the Emperor''s guards moving. The military atmosphere and willingness to fight is as good as the Emperor''s Guard. It''s all right, it''s all over. Well, you''ve already beaten that one, Alec. "Nope. I took a deep breath and stood on my feet with effort. I didn''t knock him over. "Huh? Together with an amazed Eliza, look at Azazel. A light surrounds him, and the light gradually fades and melts into his body. Eventually, after the light has completely subsided. ...... Huh?Te, angel? surprised Eliza. Yes, there were the same six feathers as before, but it wasn''t a demon, it was an angel. What''s this: ...... Not only Eliza, but also Azazel was surprised. "Does your body still hurt? "Huh?Oh, it doesn''t hurt anywhere. "Yes, thank goodness. You... or did you? "Yeah. There''s no reason to destroy it now, is there? "...... ah, Azazel, who is rapt, and Eliza . Incredible ...... demon made an angel?What the hell does that mean? For now, the demon crisis is over. 32 The Good Man Makes the Emperor Engage with Angels "What the hell is going on here: ...... Eliza is surprised, but even Azazel is not able to understand the situation, and is staring at her hands with such force that they are piercing holes. You were a demon and now you''re ...... an angel? "You said your body doesn''t hurt anymore. Do you feel any other discomfort? This ...... is what you did. If you''re asking me, your body seems to be in good shape. Yes, I am. "...... Azazel stared at me for a moment, then huffed and said, "Oh, I see. "Oh, I see. So you''re God. Hmm? "Only God can make angels, man. Hmmm, no. As expected . I could have been a god when I was born again, but I chose to be human. I was born a true human. I''m only human, just a little more magical. "Really? ...... No, it doesn''t matter. It doesn''t matter. "God or man, you''re my benefactor! "Yes. It''s the closest thing to a doctor-patient relationship, and that''s not a mistake. Let me use this life you''ve saved for me to help you-- Azazel looked at me straight in the eyes, ardent. "--Anniki! He called me. I was taken aback and my eyes widened at the sudden and first time since I was born again. "Aniki? "Oh!Whatever I can do to help, brother!I want to repay my brother for his kindness. I''d like to see you change the name "brother" first, but I''m afraid not. I''ve seen this kind of person - he''s an angel - a lot since he was born again. Your father and your father-in-law and Hossen and all that. I look like a cross between them. Maybe you won''t stop calling him that no matter what I say. "Haha ...... haha ...... ah, Mr. Alexander. With a resigned grimace, a little later than me and Eliza, Xiao Mei finally got there. . She may have run as hard as she could, but she''s in front of me, hands on her knees, breathing adorably on my shoulder. Are you okay, Xiaomei? "Yes, yes. It''s okay. But more importantly, Mr. Alexander, ...... that?Is it over already? "Yeah, it''s over. "Wow! ...... That''s great, Mr. Alexander! Xiaomei looked at me with sparkling eyes and impressed eyes. Xiaomei''s reaction is always the same. Jee...... I saw Azazel staring at me. She was staring at Xiaomei, who was staring at me. Eventually, he got a look of surprise on his face like he did before. I knew it. You''re my brother''s wife--sister? "Eeeeeeee!No, no! "Unfortunately not. "Really?I think it''s a good fit: ...... Azazel looked disappointed. Seeing Azazel, I thought again. Angel Azazel, he who adores me and wants me to do things for him. He wouldn''t be happy if I didn''t make him do something, I had to make him do something. I thought about it for a minute, and then I said to Azazel, "Azazel, I''m not going to let him do anything. "Azazel, I''m the principal of this school of magic. "Oh!That''s my brother, a kid principal at your age. You''re a kid principal! This place is important, but if something happens, a lot of enemies will come after you. So, Azazel, I need you to protect this place. "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. ...... Azazel suddenly began to tremble, and then fell from her knees. She looked up to the sky and cried like a waterfall. Aniki asked me to go to ...... important place for him: ...... After a long pause, Azazel wiped her tears and jumped up with a flash. "I got it, brother!I''ll protect this school even if I have to replace it with my life! It was very hot blooded. "How much can you protect against enemies? For the sake of your brother, whether it''s a million or two million-- "Azazel I looked him straight in the eye. Seriously, I was serious, and I emphasized it strongly enough to say it. "How many enemies would you have? "If it''s about ...... human, you can go up to 100,000 for a whole day. Azazel knew what I meant and answered with a serious face. Well, thank you. "Thank you Alec Right after I thanked Azazel, Eliza, who was standing still, thanked me. "This is a perfect fort when you''re in a pinch. "I wonder. "Yes. . a hundred thousand is the worst situation imaginable, and if you can hold out for a day with that, you''ll be there. Eliza smiled at him. Do you believe in me that much? Then I''ll have to go to ...... to earn your trust. And then you have to reciprocate. "...... "Alec? Eliza suddenly fell silent and looked into my face. I waited for her reply and asked the Philosopher''s Stone. Magic to make what you think come true. The Philosopher''s Stone, a legendary item that contains all the knowledge that exists in the world. The philosopher''s stone immediately gave me the answer I wanted. I used the magic the stone had taught me. On the ground, two shining magicians formed from beneath my feet. Azazel. "Oh, what a brotherhood. "Will you make a deal with Eliza? "Uh, with that woman?I want to fight for my brother. ...... Please." "Eliza is the woman I want to protect the most right now. Eliza is the woman I want to protect the most right now at ....... "--Ha! I heard Eliza gasp. For some reason, she turned her face away and started to shake and shake, and her face and ears are a little red in profile. If you''re curious about ...... it''s time to talk to Azazel. I looked straight at Azazel. I looked straight at Azazel with a strong desire to please. That Azazel looked at me and then at Eliza in turn. Then she looked at me and then at Eliza, the same look I gave her twice before. Oh, I see. I like that woman, so he''s protecting her. "Azazel talks too much too soon. This is the third time in a short period of time. But, well, I guess this kind of single-mindedness is part of his charm. I don''t think that''s a premature statement: ...... Xiaomei mumbled something, but I missed it because I was so focused on Azazel. ''''I don''t know, Azazel. "Osa!I''ll tie a knot with anything if you say so much. "Then enter one of those two magic circles. "Oh! "Eliza, too. What kind of magic circle is this? You''ll see. Okay, it''s Alec''s thing, I believe you. Eliza entered the magic circle without hesitation. Azazel and Eliza entered the two magic circles. The magic circle twinkled and light surrounded them. The deal was made in a flash. Then I''m going, Eliza. I took out my magic and turned it into a magical ball of fire with powerful offensive power. I send it to Eliza. The moment the magic sphere hits Eliza--the moment it hits her, her figure disappears and she moves to Azazel''s side. Eliza''s figure disappears for a moment, and she instantly moves to Azazel''s side. Eliza, Azazel, Xiaomei, and Eliza''s guards were all in awe. Everyone present was astonished. This is ......? "Transference magic--I think I''ll call it an allegate, Knowledge gained from the Philosopher''s Stone, I learned that the person who made this magic once did not have a name. So I gave it a name for now. I named it for now: "The Arlegate ...... "It''s a spell that will fly you to Azazel''s side when Eliza is in danger. Wherever you are, be near Azazel. "Wherever you are? Yes, even in the capital''s royal palace. "Well, how can you do that? Eliza was astonished. "Azazel "Oh! "I''m sorry Azazel, but you''re going to have to stay here at the magic school. And if Eliza gets sent away. "I got it!I''ll protect my brother''s precious people no matter what. I won''t let those bastards touch me. Thank you. Relieved, I looked around the school. I still have more to teach, but these are the strongest students I''ve ever seen. A one-horse guardian angel reborn from the devil. The allegate who, in a pinch, sends Eliza flying to the angel''s side in a flash. This is the magic school. The emperor''s last stand was supposed to be the safest place in history. "Alec. Eliza came in front of me and looked straight into my eyes. Thank you so much for ...... Eliza said with a thunderous smile. "Whoa!Let''s do it, animator! On the other hand, Azazel is very enthusiastic. By chance, an angel called me "Big brother" and loved me. I wondered if this was also because of the SSS rank - a life of winning potential that rivals God''s. 33 01. Im excited about the good things about good people and aristocrats Carlisle''s mansion. I just came home after a long absence and was going to spend some time in the garden of the mansion with Angel, who was working hard on her healing magic. Hey, I went to the magic school. I saw them all with my own eyes, and then we had a fight. My brother-in-law was definitely an angel. Oh, that''s my boy, Alec. I knew you would do it sooner or later, but I didn''t know you could get even an angel to follow you so quickly. The reason why I couldn''t stay quiet was because of the presence of both father and Hossen. As if he had followed me back to the mansion, Horsen followed me to the Carlisle estate and we talked about me and my father. "And not only that, the kids from the school of magic were getting stronger. "How?How long is it? "Three hundred seniors at the top of the class, three minutes was enough to kick ass in a mock fight before, last time I was there, it was going to take five minutes. "My God!How can you stretch two minutes against Hosen, the strongest warrior in the Empire? That''s because my brother-in-law''s teaching is good. Just being strong is just top-notch; only when the people around you are strong is it top-notch. "Ha ha, Hosen is just top-notch. Hey, he''s just a guy. Not as good as my brother-in-law. Father and Hossen, they looked like they were having a great time. Before you know it, they had started drinking and it was easy to see that they were going to have a lot of fun. How can you get so excited about my story? I said with a bitter smile, and Angier smiled and smiled at me. "They both love you, Alec. And- "And? I''ve heard you say that all the time, but you''re only telling the truth. "Oh!You know what I mean, girl! Hossen, who is supposed to be drinking away, interrupted our conversation. Unlike the two of you, Angel''s voice sounded a little more subdued than appropriate for his age, but it sounded good. Maybe it''s the hell ears. You''re right, we don''t say the obvious. My brother-in-law is a genius, a 100-year-or even a 1,000-year-genius. Hey, brother. "Hmm, I couldn''t agree more, brother. Maybe it''s because of the alcohol, but Hossen and Father were just flirting with each other and called each other "brother". It was fine, but considering their ages and positions, there was nothing wrong with that. "Here''s to our brother-in-law! "Cheers to our son! They call each other brother and sister, but I call them brother-in-law and son. It''s a messed up relationship. Hey, you know what? I gotta go. "Huh? "You know what my brother used to say. You know, the one we have every four years. "Ah, the Alec Cup. The conversation between my father and Hossen reminded me of that. In order to dote on me and spread the name of me - Alexander - to the world, father has held the "Alec Cup" every four years since the year I was born. Why four years, because it''s not too short and not too long, and it''s the period of four years when the real event is most exciting, including preparations. Not only Alec''s Cup, but many other major events, especially official Imperial events, are regularly spaced at four-year intervals, except for the annual ones. And it was the year I was born - I did it when I was one year old, I did it again when I was five years old, and this year I''m nine years old and it''s coming around again. "Mm, about time. Sorry, Alec, but Alec is definitely busier now than he was four years ago, but in the meantime-- I know, I''ll be there, I''ll do my best to attend, I''ll do my best to get the awards and stuff. "Oh my!That''s what Alec is all about. I don''t know what''s "as expected" now, but I decided not to interrupt him because he''s quite drunk. "So, brother, what''s the prize for the winner of the Alec Cup? What''s the prize for the winner of the Alec Cup?It sounds like you''ve heard this before, but I didn''t know my brother-in-law then, so I didn''t listen to him. Land and money. A farmer in a family of four could live on for the rest of his life. "What a crappy piece of shit! No, I''m not too old, okay? How much is enough for a family of four to live on for the rest of their lives? In a previous life I was a commoner, I had more money than I made in my lifetime, right? I plunged into it like Hossen''s nonsense, but I was surprised to find out that father . Yes, that''s right. I''ve always felt I had to do something right. I agreed with Hossen''s words. No, father, it''s not muddy at all, it''s more like a regular, worthwhile prize at all costs. How about this?How about my brother-in-law granting the winner one wish? "Hmm, maybe that''s not a bad idea. What do you think, Alec? "I don''t mind, but ...... is that OK with you? "It''s not ''like that''! "It''s not ''that''! Father and Hossen have denied my words with all their might and in unison. Due to the alcohol, the two are more intense and assertive than usual It''s a little bit like ............ as usual. That ...... father-in-law. "Hmm?What''s up Angers Unlike the two of them, very unobtrusively, Angel raised his hand and said, "I''m very happy. "I''m so happy. I''m so happy that Alec has made me his wife. "Hmm, of course. "Don''t be so dignified there, father, I''m slightly embarrassed. I prodded, but Angier didn''t care and continued on. "What if.... What if the winner of the Alec''s Cup is a woman ...... and the prize is Alec''s wife ......? A surprising proposal from Angier. But it''s not completely unheard of. It''s common to have a beauty contest and marry the best woman in the territory. Rather marry into a nobleman''s family, and appeal to him to die to get on the ball. There are even a few calls to open it up more. Moreover, from the perspective of a man whose past life was a commoner, it is an extravagance that only nobles are allowed to do. What do you say, Master Alec? "I don''t mind but ...... Look at Angel. Ange is my bride, a girl who is destined to marry and become a chamberlain. A nobleman''s chamber is measured by how well he manages his suite. For Angier''s sake, I was thinking of having good girls as a vassal at some point. So I have no objection to that at all if Angel wants to ...... as a matter of fact. It''s just that I''m a little bit excited to see the "delicious places of nobility" that I''ve faced since my reincarnation, laid out in front of me. ...... Yeah, let''s do that. "Yes!Thank you!Dear Alec! Angier was innocently pleased that his proposal was accepted. Thus, the prize for the quadrennial Alec Cup was decided. As a result of the announcement. Female participants have exceeded a hundred times the number of four years ago. 34 02. Good people twist the space "Master Alec, what are you thinking about? The living room of the mansion. As I was lost in thought looking out the window, Angel asked me about it, curious. Yes, I''m thinking about the prize for winning the Alec Cup. "Huh? Angier looks blank for a moment, as if he''s been struck dumb. I smile and reassure him. I know, Angel is wondering. Angel proposed that the winner has the right to marry me. "Yes ...... it''s still bad, isn''t it ......? No, it''s not, it''s just that it''s a given that the winner could be a man. "............ Ah! Angel, who only realized the possibility of it after being told. I''m sorry, I''m sorry!I forgot all about it. "It''s okay. Smiling again, I tried to reassure Angier. Yes, the Alec Cup is not a women-only event. Men normally participate, and the last two times it was normally a man who won. No matter what your father or Angel says, this is one thing that is non-negotiable, but ...... if it''s a man, there is no way I would ever marry him or anything like that. "Yes, yes!I know! "Yeah, I''m glad. I''m seriously a little relieved . I''d like to think it''s unlikely, but I''ve heard of your father, your father-in-law, Hossen, ...... and Eliza. I''m surrounded by people who behave in unexpected ways. I''m sure it won''t happen again, but if I am forced to marry a man, I will resist, even if I am using my full SSS magic power. Besides, if a woman wins, she may not want to marry you. It''s absolutely impossible!Absolutely! Ange insisted, saying "never" twice. "How could anyone say no to a chance to marry Master Alec when he has a chance to do so! ...... I see, yeah, thanks. So I just think about what it would be like if the winner was a man. I was just thinking about what a man would be happy to receive. "Ettore ...... Ettore ...... Angier thinks hard, but can''t seem to come up with anything now. Oh, that''s right!Master Alec, please wait a minute. "Hmm?Yeah, okay. Nodding to Angier, she ran out of the living room. A short time later, she returned with a maid. The maid is young, but it''s Amelia, an old-timer of the mansion. Amelia has a confused look on her face. I''m here out of the blue and I don''t know what''s going on. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss Alec. What''s up Angel, why don''t you bring Amelia or something? Miss Amelia, you are very knowledgeable. When Master Alec isn''t around, he teaches me things. "Oh, yeah. "Mr. Amelia, please listen to Mr. Alec. "Hello ...... How are you doing, Mr. Alec? Amelia still has the look of being pinched by a fox. I explained to her what had happened. "So I was wondering what would be good for you. It''s hard to say. For a grown man, I think it would be money, land, and women. That''s it. In fact, my sense that I was an ordinary man in a previous life gave such an answer. If you summarize it more, it could be summed up in one word: money, but if you broaden the scope, or rather the interpretation, land and women are also candidates. But that doesn''t make much difference. Originally, your father has given you enough money to eat for the rest of your life. "If "Yes. "Like a Sumitsukusu of Alec. "Endorsement? For example, if a farmer is the winner, he can name his crops after Master Alec. The Seal of Alec, or the Seal of Alec. Just like that, the same product will be worth more than an eel. "I see. Or, to begin with, farmland--naming the address after Mr. Alec. "My name on the land or ...... land or ...... I thought a little in that direction. Suddenly, a good idea hits me in my head. My eyes widen, and Amelia notices it. "What is it, Alec? I came up with a good idea. Thanks, Amelia. No, you''re welcome. "What did you come up with, Mr. Alec? "Proof over argument, let''s go out to the garden for a moment. I took Angel and Amelia out of the living room and into the garden of the mansion. I brought out a magic ball of clay. The earth magic ball that I used to dig an underground passage when I put down the rebellion at Eliza''s request. In the middle of the lawn of a fairly large garden, I carved out a one-meter-square space with the earth magic ball. Stand in the center of the space and close your eyes. Ask the philosopher''s stone. Increase your magic and cast a spell over the one-meter square space. ...... Okay. "Mr. Alec?What did you do? From out of space, Angel asked curiously, "You''ll know when you come near me, Angel. ''I''ll know when you''re around me, Angel. "Yes ...... eeeeeeee! Ange came into the one-meter square space and shouted in astonishment. "Mr. Angel? "Come on in, Amelia. I''ll get right to it. ...... Even Amelia''s eyes widened in surprise. The one-meter square space where they entered, it was no longer a one-meter square. The space is now a hundred meters square, where the ground was scraped away by the earth magic ball. "It''s bigger! "Try to go outside. "Yes ......, and the original is intact. From the outside it''s small, and when you get inside it''s big ...... wow!That''s great, Mr. Alec!What''s wrong with this! Amelia excitedly summed up the situation in simple words and asked me. "It''s a kind of spatial magic. Ah, there''s a more obvious one right there. I found the gardener''s tool shed a short distance away. I went ahead and went inside and used the same spatial magic and then invited them in. Wow!Now the cabin is like a gym! I can''t believe it: "I''ve never heard of this ....... Is this also the magic of Master Alec? It''s a spell that looks the same from the outside as it did before the spell was cast, but only gets wider on the inside. Yes, it is. "That''s great, Mr. Alec! "I don''t know about this. Angier went in and out of the room. From the outside it was just a tool shed, and inside it was a space as big as a gymnasium. He repeated it several times. It''s so exciting! Angier looked at me excitedly, as he said. Angel expressed his feelings honestly, but Amelia, on the other hand, remembered exactly where she came from. That''s great of you, Alec. This is a wonderful move that not only opens up more land and space, but also effectively gives you Alec''s seal of approval for farmland, killing two birds with one stone. And raved about it. If you''re that complimentary, you''ll be fine with this as a prize if the winner is a man. 35 03. A good man invades with a technology The back of Calamity, the guardian dragon of the empire. On the back of Calamity''s back, I rode with Angier as we flew through the sky. A village in your father''s domain has asked for tax advice due to a bad harvest, so I''m in the middle of going there to get the details. The Alec Cup is coming up, and I need to go around to squash the uncertainty in the territory. Wow ...... amazing view ...... Angel really likes the view from the sky, doesn''t he? "Yes!It''s so big, so wide, er, ...... wide. Angier was desperately trying to squeeze out the words that existed inside him. It''s a lack of words, but I feel that you really like it. Oh, I''m almost there: ...... Suddenly, Angier was a little disappointed. There is an inhabited village right in front of me. A farming village surrounded by fields, our destination. Away from Carlisle''s mansion, a village on the frontier of Carlisle''s dukedom. If you can see it, it means your flight is over. "Angers "Yes, Mr. Alec? Let''s take a little detour on the way home. "--Yes!Dear Alec! Angier nodded happily. When I look at that lovely smile, I want to do many things for you. Maybe it''s because I''m an old man of a few dozen years old mentally with memories of my past life. Maybe it''s because I''m an old man who has memories of my past life, or maybe it''s because I''m a mentally old man of a few dozen years old. Now, when I decide, I want to get this thing done. Calamity. "Yes, sir. Calamity slowly lost altitude and landed in the rural area of its destination. The entrance to the village, where someone was already waiting for them. "We have been expecting you, Master Alexander. "You''re in charge here? "Yes. This is Mayor Farmer. The man who called himself Farmer is a middle-aged man of nearly 40 years of age. He has a strong, trustworthy body, naturally trained from farm work. "Yeah, I''m sorry to be so quick, but can you show me the field? "The field is ......? I want to see how bad the crop really is. "Okay, this way, sir. Farmer said and started to lead us away. "Huh?Aren''t you over there? I pointed to the field on the other side. "That one is Count Miller''s territory. "Really?Oh, this was the beginning of the Carlisle territory. Yes, it''s on the border of the duke and count''s estate. "Yes, ...... they are so attached to each other. Convinced, I followed Farmer. When he led me to the fields, I saw that the crops were pliant and almost dead. That''s terrible. ....... Is the land in order? Yes. Thanks to Mr. Alexander, you are well-fertilized. A technique of using the magic tool bag in reverse. If a person with strong magic power holds it, the items stored in it will not spoil over time, but if a person with low magic power holds it, it will spoil in a short time, so the bags were distributed to every village. Thanks to this, Carlisle''s territory was able to have a stable production of fertilizer - and a stable harvest. I came to this village once and gave the bags to them. As proof that it works, I squatted down and was able to see that the soil was in good condition. "Then why are the crops like this? "The weather is Farmer made a pained expression. "This year, the weather has changed so much, the temperature has not been stable at all, That''s what happened. "The village jibberish -- old people say that next year''s weather is also ...... No? Because the cockerel birds aren''t coming back. "Hmm. I nodded and asked the Philosopher''s Stone, which I carry with me. The cockerel, an ordinary bird of modest size, is weak and has been known since ancient times to live in "climate-stable lands" and is said to be a valuable beneficial bird among farmers to predict the weather of the year. I see. That''s a tough one. "So ...... Mr. Alexander! Wawa. Farmer suddenly got down on his knees to me, and Angier, who was quiet next to me, panicked. "Please, please, this year''s taxes-- "Don''t get down on your knees. "What''s up! As if in dire straits, Farmer rubbed his head against the ground and refused to raise it. Let''s just deal with the situation. "Huh? "What exactly was wrong with the weather? "What is what? He kneels and looks up at me while looking up at me. "Temperature?Or is it raining? "The temperature is ...... "I see. Is this what happens when the temperature changes all the time? I thought for a moment and asked the philosopher''s stone for knowledge as I always do. The Philosopher''s Stone, which has all kinds of knowledge, immediately gave me the knowledge I sought. ...... Yeah, I was just taking a break. You too. What do you mean by that? Master Alec can handle it. Angel moved away from me together, urging Farmer, with an adorable expression on his face. Look around, check the field. Make sure the area is clear, then use your magic. A magic circle spread out from beneath my feet, and then a thin film of something that looked like a dome covered the field. Pick up a chunk of dirt and throw it against the membrane overhead. The physical membrane bounced off the chunk of dirt. Yeah, there you go. "This, this? It''s--Anger might know. Look, the rose garden in the house. Is this the glass room where your mother loves to grow roses? That''s it. It was warm there all year round. Yes. Oh, so it''s the same as that one. That kind of thing. "...... That''s it, Farmer was astonished. I''ve heard of a glass room ...... called a conservatory, I believe it''s only in a nobleman''s house. ...... "Yes. Glass is a precious commodity. It''s so expensive that some commoners don''t even use glass in their homes. A greenhouse made entirely of glass in a building is a luxury reserved for the nobility. But it''s a part of agriculture. There was very little glass in the village we saw earlier, but they seem to know about greenhouses that allow plants to grow stably. Here it is: ...... That way the temperature will be stable, the crops will grow steadily. "Yes, yes! Farmer gave a gleeful, savior-eyed look. At least that''s how I know the only problem he thinks is the temperature. "Okay, we''ll put it over the whole field in the village. Lead the way. ...... Thank you!Thank you! Farmer stayed on his knees and bowed to me over and over again. With Farmer''s guidance, I enchanted all the fields in the village, making them look like open air but actually a magical greenhouse. When we came back to the first field, we did the whole thing. Oh ...... it''s getting really warm. Marvel at Farmer. The temperature in the first greenhouse field began to rise immediately. "That''s great, Alexander. "Yeah. Is that all Hatake has? "Yes!Thank you so much! You''re welcome. So, settled, I turned to Angel and said, "Let''s go home. Let''s go back, Angel. "Yes! To continue our promised empty date, I took Angier''s hand and together we went back towards the village. I have to wait for Calamity in the village. When I returned to the village, a group of villagers was waiting for me at Calamity''s side. When they saw me, they all fell to their knees. What''s wrong? "You guys ...... "Farmer, what''s going on?Make them stop. Don''t thank me any more. That''s ...... "You''re the mayor, right? Yes, but ...... those guys are from the next village. "Next to ......, there''s Count Miller''s "Yes, ...... so it''s not from our village Farmer makes a difficult face, saying he doesn''t listen to the mayor''s orders. You''re the village chief, so you should order him to stop, I thought, but that would be impossible in a different village. No, that''s not the point. "What''s really going on?Why all of a sudden? "Dear Alexander! One of the men on his knees looked up and stared at me. I was looking at you. "This ...... greenhouse thing over here? "I''ve been thinking since the bag. We-- When the man trailed off, the rest of the villagers looked up in unison and spoke in unison. We have always wanted to be Alexander''s people! "...... my? "How about it!Please let us into Carlisle territory! The people in the next village looked at me with intense eyes. You mean ...... you want to move out of the Miller''s domain and join the Duke of Carlisle''s domain? Wow, this is the first time I''ve seen people from the village talk about switching territories. That''s great. Angier is a bit awkward. I was also much surprised to hear that for the first time. 36 04. Good people, do work for 4 people The villagers in the next village keep bowing to me. I know the feeling, but if I nod "yes" here, all kinds of problems arise. The territorial question is a complex, sensitive political issue. Okay, I''ll make some calls. I''ll make some calls, just give me a moment. "...... yes The central figure in the bowing down, probably the mayor over there. The man was a bit disappointed. I was going to ask him to let me into Carlisle, but then I saw ...... all over the place. How many people live there, by the way? "Let''s see, ...... 127 people ...... is I see. I took out my stowage bag. A storage sack that kept buying surplus food from Carlisle, a sack with enough food to feed ten thousand people. I took the food out of it and piled it up on the roadside, in our territory. There was only enough for a small pile. What''s this? "Farmer "What is it? Like you saw earlier, the ungrown and inedible crops can be used as fertilizer. "Yes, ...... is going to do that. It will grow steadily and you need a lot of fertilizer. So you can buy it from () and use it as fertilizer. This is enough food for about 130 people. I''ll leave it to you to figure out how to do business with it. "--Ha! ""Thank you! Farmer and the inhabitants of the other side simultaneously understood my intentions and bowed to me in unison. As the vice emperor and leader of the Alexander League, it would cause political problems if I gave alms to other people, but as long as the locals barter and trade with each other, there is no problem. Well, that''s all for the time being. ...... Now it''s time to go to the fields. The weather may or may not change. The best thing to do is to turn that field into a greenhouse. But this is the hard part, you can leave the stuff behind like now, but casting a spell would be an act of "I did it". The problem may be that there is no ...... to say. If you talk to Eliza, the emperor, everything will be solved with the push of a crane. I wondered for a moment whether I should do that. Mmm ...... Ah, ....... Mr. Alec, you dropped this. Hmm? I received an object that was picked up by Angier. It was made by Xiaomei. An object with flowers, made with perpetual freeze magic. Apparently it fell off when she was twisting her neck with her arms crossed. ...... perpetual freeze. As soon as he received it, something blurred in his mind and it immediately took shape clearly. Permanent freeze magic, now only Xiaomei is able to do it with humans, usually activated by magic tools. A magic tool. I asked the wise man''s stone, which I carry with me everywhere. How to turn magic into a grimoire. Soon we got an answer, and we did it. First you made magic spheres, three white magic spheres. Then you use magic to put a sort of warding on the land to turn it into a greenhouse. Just before the magic goes into effect, you hit the magic spheres you prepared from three directions simultaneously to solidify the effect of the magic with strong and pure magic. Then a crystal ball-like object was created. A beautiful crystal ball with speckled patterns swirling inside. What''s that, Master Alec? The greenhouse magic spell, it activates that magic you just saw. "Eeeeeeee!Well, can a magic tool be made by one person?I read in your book that it''s something that a lot of wizards work together to create. That''s a misunderstanding. The Philosopher''s Stone, which has all the knowledge, said that it could be made by producing four lines of magic of the same output at the same time. If I were to draw an analogy, it would be "all you need is four dominant hands to make it," which is usually impossible for a single person to do. However, it can be made by a single person if there is a person with four dominant hands. My magic power is SSS rank and beyond that of an ordinary person, so I could make it by myself. The proof is in the pudding. He took out three magic spheres again, showed me how to make a greenhouse spell, and then said to Angel. "This is how the four of us pseudo-manipulated it! "Wow, ...... is amazing, that''s great, Mr. Alec. Once Angel was impressed and convinced, I continued to produce the grimoire. In no time, dozens of crystal ball-like mages were piling up. "Farmer! "Yes, yes! This is a greenhouse-making spell you''ve heard of. Here''s your deal, too. "I get it! ""Thank you! The inhabitants of the other village bowed more en masse. Now, both villages will be safe. 37 05. Good people, defeating and treating at the same time Inside the mansion in the daytime, as I was watching Angel study his magic, the maid Amelia came to report to me. "Alec-sama, a visitor is here to see you. "Customer?To me, not to my father? "Good-bye. Amelia nodded clearly. How unusual ...... is. Here at the Carlisle mansion is officially your father''s house, and I''m just the son of the duke. So most of the visitors are your father''s guests, and it''s very rare for them to visit me. Anybody but your father-in-law or the nearest people like Hossen and Eliza. What''s he like? "I''ll take your business card. Amelia said and handed me a golden plate. Noblemen''s business cards are often given mainly to first-time visitors. They are used to prove or "assert" one''s identity and position. So the business cards are often ornate and ostentatious. This is exactly the type of business card Amelia gave me. It''s made of solid gold, a plate of gold so heavy that a normal child can''t carry it in one hand. I take the business card and read the inscriptions. "Albert Miller Earl. ...... "Count Miller, Master Alec. Yeah, I guess so. Angier, who accompanied me the other day, noticed right away. Yes, that frontier village. A remote village that was impressed by my skills and asked to be incorporated into the Carlisle Territory. That''s Count Miller''s territory--the territory of the owner of this card. The timing is not entirely unrelated. What do you want to do? "Of course I''ll see you. Show me in person. I''ll be there in a minute. "I''ll get right to it. After Amelia left, Angier looked at me with a frightened face. "Mr. Alec, are you ...... going to be angry? "I don''t know. ...... Yeah, I think they might be a little pissed off. I tried to avoid destroying Count Miller''s men and women by taking a roundabout way to save them, but some people don''t like that way of doing things. What you do for the good of the world often has the opposite effect. Now, let''s see what happens. I''m going to have to go back and look at it. When I came with Angier into the parlor (I didn''t hear him say he was coming), there was an old man inside. His hair and beard were pure white, his eyes were thread-thin, and he had a gentle smile on his face. Old man. Such words came into my head. "Ho-ho-ho, so you''re the vice-president. His voice was calm and friendly, like a nice old man. I could feel Angier next to me relieved and clearly patted his chest. I walked over to the sofa where the old man was sitting and bowed. I''m Alexander Carlisle. It is a great pleasure to meet you, Earl Miller. "Ho-ho-ho, you are very polite. How is your daughter? Oh, Angelica Silva!I am Alec''s bride. Oh, so you''re Bowes'' wife. Yeah, it''s a good thing I brought more than one. "Prepare more? What does that mean?Then, out of nowhere, Miller pulled out a paper box, put it on the table in front of the sofa, and opened the box, and inside the box was a cake. Inside the box was a cake. A delicious-looking cake with lots of strawberries. Wow. ...... Normally, he may be a strong person, but he is still a nine-year-old child. Angier''s eyes lit up at the cake. "Ho-ho-ho, do you like cake? "Yes, I love it! It''s good to hear. I hope you enjoy it. "...... Amelia, go carve this up. "I''ll get right to it. Amelia, who had led us to this point, received the cake in a paper box. Angel went with Amelia. Have them cut it into pieces. Oh, and some tea to go with the cake. "Yes, what about you, Mr. Alec? "As in Angers. "I see! Angel nodded happily and walked out of the parlor with Amelia holding the paper box. As they walked out, the door slammed. You''re a smart boy, aren''t you? Miller''s tone suddenly changed, and his threadbare eyes widened. It felt as if the temperature in the room suddenly dropped nearly ten degrees. What''s that? "Don''t play games with me, you just realized that I was right on the mark and you sent your maid and wife away... "...... Yes, the panicked Miller is right. The moment he said, "Bon apptit," a tremendous amount of pressure fell on me. The pressure was pinpointed, pure, unadulterated life energy. It''s what masters call chi. So, as they pushed, I resisted with equal magical power and moved them away from the parlor. . Ki and magic, we are now arm wrestling tightly together and waiting to start. "Why are you doing this all of a sudden? "Don''t ask the obvious, boy. I heard you tried to steal my territory. It''s-- Oh, boy, don''t tell me you don''t know my second name. "...... Murderous Mirror After the incident in the village, I thought it necessary to hear from the Philosopher''s Stone about Count Miller''s knowledge. Albert Miller. Like Horsen, he was a renowned warrior in the Empire. If Horsen''s military strength was 100, he was about 99, second in the empire in terms of pure strength. However, when in battle, Horsen would crush his enemies without a trace, while Miller would kill everyone, friend or foe alike, earning him the nickname. He used to be a nameless soldier, but one day he became so strong that he went on a rampage, regardless of who was on his side. His lifetime achievements rivaled Horsen''s, but he killed so many allies that he was made a duke or even a baron. After a life of fluctuating titles, he finally settled on his current count. A literal rabid dog, someone everyone shuns and doesn''t want to get involved with. You know him well. You''re meddling in my lands, so let''s see if you can''t make up for it. Mmm. The pressure became stronger. The mirror''s chi instantly became nearly twice as strong. I was forced to resist. If she lost control, her body would be crushed. In arm-wrestling, the arm would be knocked down and snapped off. So I cranked up my magic and resisted. "Futile, futile, futile!It is useless for the blue arse bowling to resist me. The enraged Miller. He is no longer the same person he was when they first met, no longer has any trace of his good-natured demeanor. With bloodshot eyes and a mouth full of slobber, Miller presses in further. A black, dark, obviously murderous air. We''ll be killed if this continues, I scooped up a wave of magic with my mupapato style, looking for the peak output and trying to push it back in one fell swoop. What? I was feeling the waves and picking up the waves of chi over there at the same time. It was strange. It was very strange. The mirror''s qi was very weak in places. If its normal output was 100, every few seconds it would drop to zero at the level of a few tenths of a second. That''s usually impossible. Both magic and qi are affected by the human body''s energy, which comes from the human body. As long as you''re alive, it can''t go to zero, even for a moment, as long as you keep giving it out. There is no such thing as a perfect zero unless you are dead or close to it. It''s that unlikely a situation. Analyze the situation while resisting. Ask the wise man''s stone about the situation. Soon after, it said. "Don''t stare at me, boy!That''s a daredevil thing to do! "Huh! It was even more of a rush, twice as much as before, all at once. I scooped up 99% of the output with my mupapato and pushed out all the magic at once. Haha! Miller''s spirits were broken. Plop!The old man staggered backward and fell on his back in a heap. The old man staggered backward and fell on his back in a heap. The mirror, which had been overwhelmingly huge and covered the room just before, shrunk in time, and now became a frail old man himself, almost the same as he looked. Having completely pushed through, it has temporarily (!) weakened. Kaaka. Way to go, boy! I guess it''s time for me to pay my tribute. Okay, kill him. "Does it still hurt anywhere? "--What?What are you talking about? "Is there anything else that hurts? I heard it again. Miller stared for a moment, then popped his head up and, in a cross-legged position on the ground, held his head down, rubbed and patted it. Hey, hey, nowhere to be seen!The headache that''s been going on for fifty years is nowhere to be found! Miller''s voice had a hint of surprise in it, but there was also a hint of obvious joy in it. ''There was some kind of weird curse that I had to break, and I''m glad I was able to do it. "Curse!Was it a curse? "Yeah, I didn''t know ...... "I don''t know!Any doctor or magician has ever spoon fed me, ''I don''t get it. Bowls!How did you know? How? That''s how you know, because that''s how you know. When he replied, Miller went pokey. But it was only for a moment. He immediately breaks his face and looks up at the sky and smiles broadly. "You not only beat me, but you cured me in that one second? "Yeah-- I was aghast. This flow, I know. I have a sense of dj vu, I''ve done it many times (). Ka-ka-ka-ka. That''s great, boy! Sure enough, an overjoyed Miller. His reaction echoes that of his father, father-in-law, and Hossens. "I like you, boy! Ah, I knew it was the same trend. 38 The Good Man Stops the Fighting Between the Most Powerful and the Worst With One Hand Imperial City. In the royal palace, the audience chamber. I had flown in from Carlisle''s mansion with instantaneous magic and had an audience with the Emperor Elisabeth. "Therefore, I would like to add Count Albert Miller to our alliance. Afterwards, Miller took a liking to me and asked me to join the alliance. It''s obvious that she''s in the same boat as my father and his friends, and that the incident in the village would be no problem at all if she joined the alliance. I had no problem except that I was a bit slack-jawed, so I immediately flew here by magic to ask Eliza''s permission. "Forgive me, rather than ...... Eliza''s expression changed. From the dignified imperial emperor to the friendly Eliza. Eliza can''t hide her surprise--and then she makes a face. "You got that rabid dog on your hands. That''s my boy Alec. "Are you such a mad dog? "Enemies, owners, and yourself. It''s a way of life where you can''t help but chew them all to death. "I''m myself too. ...... That''s more than I expected. Miller, I thought "everyone" was friend and foe, but I heard I was in it too. Well, ...... it''s not hard to understand now. That was probably because of the curse. Miller says that after the curse was lifted, the headache that lasted for fifty years was gone. It makes sense, considering his rabid personality and action manners, and the headaches were driving him to desperation. Well, we''ll see. If you''ve already got your hands on ......, you won''t be seeing it again. Maybe, maybe not. After all, I was getting into the same groove as my fathers. Anyway, that''s a good thing. Well, that''s good news about the alliance, suit yourself. "Thank you, Your Majesty. Now you have officially added another person to the Alexander League. "...... I couldn''t believe my eyes as I came back to Carlisle''s mansion with instantaneous magic. "Ohhhhhhhhhh! "Kah!Kakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakakah! ...... The Great Monster War? For some reason, Horsen and Miller were fighting - or rather killing each other - in the garden of the mansion. Horsen is twirling a sword three times his height and smashing everything in his range, including trees, grass and garden stones. Miller, on the other hand, looks ...... bareheaded, but his hands are purplish-black and venomous, dissolving anything he touches into a sludge. Uraaah!You old bastard!I''ve always hated that side of you! "Baboon, baboon!It''s mutual. I''ll melt that squeaky throat into giggles! They are angry, crazy, and hostile, and their battle is fierce. If you carelessly jump in between them, you''ll be out of luck; if you''re not careful, you''ll be blotted out without a trace. Master Alec! When Angel found me back, he came running over to me in a hurry. Angel, what''s going on?What''s going on? "That''s why ...... Mr. Hossen came to visit and met with Mr. Miller, but for some reason the two of you suddenly started fighting. ...... "Hmmm, from what I''ve heard ......, it sounds like you two have always disliked each other. "What do we do, Mr. Alec? "Hmmm. I''m not going to be able to say that we don''t like each other, but let''s stop here for now. As much as we hate each other, let''s not do it here for now. Hossen and Miller on the rampage . The clash of the Empire''s top two warriors is no joke and could turn this area into a deadly land if left unchecked. Besides, maybe one of them ...... will die at worst both. Two people who are fighting in the realm of killing each other already have some wounds. While the wounds may slow them down, the area is inversely filled with a thicker, more deadly atmosphere. Yeah, let''s stop it. I''ve got to stop it. I took a deep breath and, releasing my magic, jumped in between the two men. With my right hand, I firmly grasped Hossen''s sword and caught Miller''s poison claw with my left. "Brother-in-law! "Bowls! They were surprised at my appearance. The murderous atmosphere has faded and they both give me their usual () look. "You stopped my sword, my brother-in-law, you have no idea what you''re doing. My poisoned claws must have hit him, but he''s fine. I never cease to be amazed at Bowles. Hmm? "How? After complimenting me respectively, they looked at each other. What little bit of murderous energy there was left faded away in the blink of an eye. What? You''re not here to kill your brother-in-law? I thought you were the one who was going to take advantage of Bowers. "What''s the use of my brother-in-law? Taking advantage of my brother-in-law?If he does, I''ll kill him without a trace with this sword. You''re on the same page with me. If I had a karate like that, I''d spend a whole day slowly melting it down to the bone instead of killing it. "...... "...... The two of them looked at each other over my head, with me between them. Eventually they put out their hands and squeezed each other tightly. "I thought you knew what you were talking about, you piece of shit. I always thought you were the old man with the sarcastic old man''s eyes, but you''ve got the right idea. That''s what happens when you see the bowls. I''m purified. "What!That''s such an enviable thing to do! It was like we had a connection. The two of them hit it off so well that it was a lie that they had been fighting to kill each other. They looked at me with their swords and claws, each holding a weapon, and were like, "Whoa! I''m sorry, brother-in-law, for going off on you. Forgive me, Boz, I will do anything to make you feel better. Yeah, I''ve got to fix that mess in my yard. Yes, I will help you. That''s okay. I looked around, no, I checked. The garden that looked like it was going to be a straight line to the land of death from the two monster wars has already been restored to its original state. I jumped in and stopped them, and at the same time I cast a repair spell on them. Is it fixed now?...... is true. "When did ...... Bowers do it? "Yeah. But are you two hurt? "Huh?Come to think of it, it''s nothing. I''m sure my ...... arm was mangled from too many slashes, but ...... bowls? Nod. When I jumped in, I also healed their wounds. Two of the Empire''s top two men, one hundred and ninety-nine in arms. Since they were killing each other and possibly already fatally wounded even though they didn''t see each other, I actually cast a healing spell before the garden. I''m glad to hear that both of you are healing well. Horsen and Miller looked around for a moment and then - at the same time - laughed loudly. "Ha-ha-ha-ha!She''s got one. You didn''t think that you would not only stop him, but also heal the garden and our injuries as well. Hmm. Our time is over, I guess. You''re slow to notice, your brother-in-law was born the moment he was born. "You''re the one who just noticed, "Haha, you''re in for it. The two hit it off even better. It''s kind of like ...... yeah. I''m so happy to see you. ...... No, what''s amazing is that the two of you changed, I thought. Anyway, I''m glad it''s over in one piece. 39 07. Two steps ahead of good people and experts Miller''s territory, the village of Caiera. I was looking at the fields of this village side by side with Miller, who had accompanied me up to this point. Inspection. With Miller''s entry into the Alexander League, the frontier villages benefited from it. There have been many calls for help from various places. One of them is this village of Caiera. In front of me and my mirror there is a deserted field, and at a distance behind us the villagers are looking on anxiously. "The fields are pretty desolate, lots of rocks and roots and stuff. Is it bad? Miller stumbled back. Yeah, I don''t think this will do any good. It''s been like this for a long time, what have you been doing?You can''t get a decent crop with that, can you? The "fight "Huh? I was fighting all over the place and using the loot I had to hit them with. It''s not ...... a fight, it''s a war or a defeat. Don''t be so sure. The mirror laughed with ka-ka. The curse is lifted, the ruggedness is lifted. With his white hair and beard, Miller looks like a good-natured old man at first glance, but his words are still vaguely disturbing. Because they say they can''t pay the tax, so we''ll just have to pick a fight and take it from them. "You didn''t raise your taxes? "Why?You can''t get out of a rag by wringing out "...... I see. The Miller looks at you with a big grin on his face. You''ve left your rulership behind and your personality is a bit in jeopardy, but it''s not like you had a bad government or anything. Bowls, what are we going to do about this? Well, I guess I''ll start with the dirt. Dirt? I''m going to take out all the rocks and roots and stuff and make it fluffy. Otherwise, you can''t grow crops properly. Boz, that''s crazy. They''re up there, but there''s a bunch of them in the ground. The mirror was thumping on the ground. He''s an expert at that, you can feel it. With the size of this field, you''d have to bring in thousands of people in one go, or you wouldn''t be able to plant seeds in time for this year. "It''s okay, watch. I said and thrust one hand vertically up to the sky. Gather the magic power into the palm of your hand to make a magic sphere. The earthen magic ball is one of the seven colors. It''s the magic ball that I used with Eliza when we infiltrated the rebel fort. It was normal size at the time, but now I''m going to make one that''s huge. In the palm of my hand, the magic ball was dozens of times the size of my body. It looked like a giant rock and I threw it at the devastated field. I also make a palm-sized one and hurl it at the devastated field. The magic ball of earth swallowed up everything there - the earth, rocks, and roots of trees - and crushed them together. It swallows a field and spits out everything in its path. The magic ball lingers for a while, and then disappears. The earth was pulverized once, and everything in it, including the ground, was shattered into powdery, fluffy soil. "Yeah, that''s it. "Seriously, they did it in a second. Do you understand? Oh, it''s fluffy, just like freshly ground flour, like Bowers said. You''re a master at this. This should make you feel like a field for now. All that''s left to do is let the real people work out the details, and we''ll be good to go. Ho, that''s Bowes. "Hey, there guy. I am far away. I beckoned to the Kaila villagers who were keeping their distance from the mirror. Witnessing what I had done, surprise overrides fright, and one of the villagers came running in a hurry. "Hey, what is it, sir? "Hatake, is that all you see now? I asked while pointing at the rest of the field, the other fields that have been devastated. "Yes, yes you are! Okay. I decided to do what I could see in front of me, while gently leaving the villagers too nervous to do it all together. I thrust my hand up to the sky again and made a magic ball of dirt for clearing the land. "Um! "Hmm?What''s going on? The villagers open their mouths like, "It''s not just dirt. "It''s not just dirt, "What does that mean? The villagers winced for a moment, as if they were still afraid of the mirror, but then summoned up the courage to say: "We don''t have a water source or water supply in this village. We don''t have a water source or ...... water in our village. The storm a while ago changed the flow of the river and more than half the well was buried. "There''s nothing here. Miller was stunned, but . That''s okay. "Huh? Maybe soon--here. I pointed to the field earlier. In the middle of the field, there''s a spring gushing out of the middle of the field. Water?Why You just threw one of these, but it''s a little bit smaller. "......? "Oh, I''ve been doing that before, Bowles. The villagers craned their necks in confusion, but Miller seemed to see it all right. That''s what we were digging for. That''s underground water that''s gushing out now. There''s a decent vein of water underneath here, so we''ll get this water thing straightened out later. "Oh, thank you! "Don''t do it, Bowles. Hmm? "It''s a first-rate - no, a very first-rate - job of anticipating what''s needed to be done two or three steps ahead. I wonder if that''s the way it works. 40 08. The Good Man Saves the Goddess of Prostitution After clearing the fields of Kaila village to make them suitable for farming, we now start the work of securing a proper water source. I used a small magic sphere to dig some holes, and I stood at the spot where the most water was flowing. What are we going to do with this, boy? Well, I''m going to build a high platform here, and then I''m going to make an irrigation canal that runs through all the fields. "High ground? Yeah, I think it''s more convenient to flush the water. Now what to do with the table. He was about to ask the stone what the best way is, when.... Then the earth suddenly began to shake. What? "Watch out!Hang on Bowls! Miller grabbed my hand. For all intents and purposes, Miller was an old man, but he didn''t budge in the midst of the quake, like a giant tree with its feet planted in the ground. In the meantime, remote villagers, who were excited about the upcoming harvest in their respective fields, rolled around one after another. The shaking is long ...... What''s going on? "Ah! "What''s up, boy! "The color of the water turns purple. ...... Is that ...... poison? "Mmm! The mirror''s complexion changed. The water that I had dug up with the magic ball, spouting from here and there, had turned a poisonous hue all at once. The water bubbled as if it had boiled, turning purple and slushy. The first thing anyone saw was "poison? I''m not sure what to expect. "This is ...... no way! I was about to ask Miller, "What do you know? The earth shook even louder, and a black object shot out of the ground with an eardrum-tearing explosion. The object flew up into the air, about three stories high, and stopped dead in place. It was a woman''s figure. A woman in a black dress--a tattered dress. Her eyes were muddy, her whole body was trembling, and purple drool was dripping from her mouth. She was stagnant, letting out a moaning sound like an animal. It''s a horrible moan that sounds as if it''s leaking out of the depths of hell. I knew it! "He? It''s Astaroth, and after meeting him fifty years ago, I was a bit of a mess. That means that ...... is the one who put the curse on Miller. Nodding Miller. Well, come to think of it, she and Miller have a lot in common. The mirror''s poisonous hand, and the poisonous water that is now spouting from the ground. And most importantly, the miasma from Astaroth''s own body. I asked the Philosopher''s Stone about "Astaroth," just in case. The wise man''s stone has all the knowledge. ...... I see. I haven''t seen him since then, but ...... you''re telling me he was in the ground that Bowles dug up. It could be. At any rate. Here I was, but in my 100th year, I have something to show you. Wait. "What''s up with that? Let me do it. "...... seems to be. Miller, whose will to fight rose from the moment he saw Astaroth, fell at a much faster pace than he rose the moment I came forward, and the grimness vanished from his face. ''We''d better leave it to Bowles. The mirror said so and the atmosphere became that of a full-on spectator mode. I stepped out and headed for Astaroth. Stagnant and just suffering until then, the Astaroth. When that asteroid noticed me, it began to suffer even more. He slobbered and his mouth was open to his cheeks and he gasped for air. Breath of an even more noxious hue than the poisoned water. Perhaps--the undiluted fluid of the poison. It was spat at me. I quickly created a magic ball of fire to vaporize the flying fluid. Part of it failed to reach the ground, and even the soil was dissolved by the poison. There are screams all around, and the villagers are fleeing. We don''t have time for this, I''m going all at once. I stick out my hand, concentrating my magic power at my fingertips. SSS-ranked magic, god-like magic. I gather it at my fingertips to create a magic ball like a small sun. The poisonous liquid was completely neutralized and Astaroth let out a beastly scream and flew toward me. Bowls! Going towards Astaroth, with the mirror''s screams behind him. Intercept--and counter. Counter-strike the little sun while extinguishing the thickest poisonous breath ever with a magic ball of additional fire. The magic ball enters Astaroth''s body. The light envelops her, writhing in agony. A different kind of suffering. A different kind of suffering. The suffering from the effect of what I cast into her. Oh, it''s working! The mirror of the Hundred Warriors seems to have seen through it too. After a while, when the light settled down, Astaroth fell to the ground, collapsing from his knees like a threadbare doll. Miller walks slowly and approaches me. "You done? "Yes. Kaaka, that''s Boyz. You killed the culprit that tormented me for fifty years so easily. Thank you. The mirror''s face was radiant as he spoke. --But. No, I didn''t. "......? What does that mean? Before he can answer it, Astaroth stands up. Putting his hands on the ground, he slowly straightens up and looks around. "You''re not there yet! Whether by instinct or reflex, the mirror braced itself in response to Astaroth''s actions. ''No, no,'' "Huh? How''s that?Still in pain? Not to the Mirror, but to Astaroth. She looked around with a scowling, unsure look on her face, not knowing what had happened. In her eyes, the light of intelligence had returned. ''Is this the ...... human world?What the hell am I doing? "It spoke!No normal speech? The Mirror to Astonish . I told him of the knowledge I had gained when I took confirmation from the Philosopher''s Stone. "Astaroth wasn''t originally evil. He was originally a god of fertility. Explain, and then ask Astaroth again. How are you still in pain? ...... No. Yes, you helped me out. "I just took away the elements that made it worse. Thank you. It seems to be all right now. The resurrection of the former fertility goddess will surely be a plus for the land. As Astaroth and I stood facing each other. Haha! ...... wow, Bowles. I killed the demon and you turned her back into a goddess. You''ve always exceeded my expectations. And that was when Miller had his tongue wagging. 41 The Good Man Becomes the God of the Real Man Once separated from the mirror, returned with Astaroth to the mansion. Carlisle''s mansion, a richly furnished living room. I sit down in a chair and take a breath, but I notice that Astaroth is still standing in front of me. The freed Astaroth exudes the divinity of a goddess, but his movements look like a maid, just like Amelia and her friends. Astaroth, sit down. "No. She shook her head slowly but without hesitation. "I have no seat in the presence of the Lord. I don''t think you need to be so humble. A little gratitude . I want to repay you for giving me an oasis, albeit a temporary one, in the midst of my still-everlasting suffering. When I heard Astaroth''s story, it hit me. I know of one person who was in almost the same situation. A former demon, the angel Azazel. Just as Azazel has been forced to suffer through nine reincarnations of the devil, so too must Astaroth. Thanks to me for stopping it. So I guess that''s it. ....... ... "Astaroth. "What is it, Lord? "What can Astaroth, who has returned to God, do?To my knowledge, Astaroth is a former fertility goddess. That is correct, Your Majesty. That''s right, I have the power to lead you to a good harvest. "Can we have a good harvest in our territory, the territory of the Alexander League. It''s a pretty big area. "It''s nothing out of the ordinary, sir. Astaroth answered immediately. "Let each village build a cave to worship me. Let them build a cave to worship me, and I will give them my fertility. Okay, I''ll have it made up right away. I''m sorry to make you work so quickly, I just got better. No, if I could be of any use to you, even if it would crush me. Thank you. Smiling and with a slight blush on his face, Astaroth went to his father. I came to consult with him about building a cave to worship the goddess of fertility in every rural village in the territory. I knew she was the type of person who wanted to do something for me. Unless someone else is in trouble, I want to do what I want to do. That''s what I thought. As the months passed and the quadrennial Alec Cup was over . Father and father-in-law, Horsen and Miller. All four of the noblemen''s estates were enjoying the greatest harvest ever. ''Mmm!That''s what Alec is all about. As I was reading the harvest report with my father in his office in the mansion, he nodded with satisfaction and pride. Look, every village has recorded the best harvest ever, the best ever. "It''s all thanks to Astaroth. "No way, sir. In attendance, Astaroth, standing behind me in the posture of a secretary or maid, humbled himself as usual. By the way, the majesty or divinity of the goddess is still intact. I''m fine because I''m on my back, but I found it a little funny that my father would occasionally squint at me like he was glaring at me. Despite his godliness, Astaroth''s tone and demeanor were very reserved. I was only following the Lord''s orders. It was all to the Lord''s credit. Mmmmmm. God follows the angels. It''s hardly a surprise, but I''m very pleased. No, be surprised, Father. I don''t think it''s fair to dismiss what normally sounds like a boastful story about a son following God as "not surprising. But that''s the way it''s usually driven, father. Maybe it doesn''t matter now. Huh? "What''s up, Alec? "Only here ...... this village is not more awesome than the others. "Hmm?It''s probably medium, like this one. "The amount of harvest is so . But year over year, it''s ...... "Mmm, it''s true. This is triple the previous year''s figure while the rest of them are only about 1.5 times as large. "You didn''t increase the acreage of the field ...... Not increasing. I looked at the numbers and craned my neck with my father to see what he meant. "It''s the ...... purge, isn''t it? The father suddenly blurted out something outrageous. That''s the most dangerous thing I''ve ever heard my father say. "Wait a minute, father. What''s the purge? This is a trick . Hearing a good harvest all around, they must be cheating to sesame to Alec. It''s not a given-- "Look at this. My father took a stone from his pocket. It''s as big as a grown man''s palm. What''s this? A meteor--no, a meteorite. A gift from a farming community. ...... Father, turning over the stone, there was my name engraved on it, "Alexander Carlyle". How did I get my name? A naturally occurring groove in this meteorite. It just so happens to be named after Alec, and it was presented to me as a good omen. "How could that happen? Alec is the world''s greatest son, no, a man. You can do great things in normal life, but a lie like this is a disgrace to the achievement, and that''s why I won''t tolerate it. My father was unusually angry with me, even though this was related to me. By the way, that village is ...... "I had the mayor removed from office with a severe scolding. No harm was done. Phew. ....... I was relieved that your father took the rational course of action. I was relieved that your father took reasonable measures-- "Any further action will give Alec a bad name! --And it seems that he was quite emotional about the decision. But this is unacceptable, for if this gets out and spreads to the rest of us, we''ll eventually have a bad time. So... Purge!And the father stopped the words before he could speak again, the words that would become words. I know what you''re saying, but the purge is going too far. Wait, father, I''ll go over the situation. "Alec? Yes, let me handle this one. ...... Hmmm, yeah. The truth will come out in a flash when Alec gets there. Okay, it''s up to you, Alec. "Yes. For now, the "purge" has been stopped. . Flew to the village of Goral, which, with instantaneous magic, was prominently bountiful. I''ve brought Astaroth with me. I thought that since it was a bumper crop, she would know if there was a cheat. "Great, a great crop. That was my first impression as I flew in. The fields are overflowing with crops, the people are cheerful, their houses and clothes and everything else is new, and you can see at a glance how rich they are. Farmers, especially, have no income until the harvest, and when they receive their income from the harvest, they spend all their money at once. A good economy is more clearly proportional to the harvest than other industries. The economy is much better than other industries, so it seems that the harvest is as good as the numbers say, but why? "...... oh "What''s up Astaroth, I have some ideas. ...... Yes, I remembered that these caves are the only ones in the territory that are built differently. "Different from the others? What a difference. It reminds me of a village I visited a few days ago. The hovels there are ordinary hovels enshrining a stone statue of Astaroth. All the halls in the other villages are pretty much the same, with a few differences in size, but they all worship Astaroth. Unlike them, the only difference is their construction. I wonder what it''s like. "There it is, my Lord. There was a scaffold to which Astaroth pointed. First of all, even from a distance, it was roughly twice as large as the others. Is that because it''s so big? "No. It''s not. Well, since I''ll remember as soon as Astaroth arrived, you''ll know when you get inside. I took Astaroth and went to the cave. I stood in front of the cave and peered in - to my surprise. Is that ...... me? "Yes, my Lord and I. Do you mean I''m worshipping you too?Moreover, this arrangement: ...... looks like I''m the main one and Astaroth is the follower. That''s right. That describes my relationship with the Lord very well. So I remember going all out to give you more blessings than usual. "...... I see. I chuckled a bit. If he says it''s an exciting arrangement, I can see why it would be twice or even three times as effective as any other. I got the situation. There was no cheating, that''s a relief. But. This stone statue of me, it seems like I am a god too: ...... A stone statue of a human being and a stone statue of the god to be worshipped are different in construction. I, with Astaroth in my presence, am the work of a god. The statue is gorgeous and divine even though it is a stone statue. King of the gods. I''m reminded of a phrase from a myth. "It is appropriate, my Lord," he said. I see. So says Astaroth. She was just like the fathers. The goddess Astaroth, a devotee of the Aleksandar religion. She smelled perverse. "Ah!It''s the Vice-Emperor! "There''s also a goddess. "Thankfully, thank you. ...... While we were standing in front of the woods, some villagers noticed us and began to worship not only Astaroth, but me as well. Maybe it''s my imagination, or maybe they worship me more. Maybe it wasn''t my imagination. I was raised to be a mortal goddess with a fertility goddess. I still felt like a god-king. An SSS-ranked reincarnation. Apparently, if I chose to be reincarnated as a human, I would still be a god. 42 01. Good men cast the spell of slaughter During the audience. Summoned in a hurry to the palace, I bowed to the Emperor Elisabeth in aristocratic manners and raised my head. The emperor--no, Elisa had become beautiful again. I''ve taken one year off from 9 years old to 10 years old, and I''m still very much the same physical child, but Elisa has become more mature and beautiful over the past year. "I have answered the call, Your Majesty. "Take it easy. You and I are friends, there is no need to be more humble than necessary. I don''t know how the relationship between the emperor and the vice-emperor is usually, but I know that a more broken tone would be better. "I understand, Your Majesty, "Mm. Eliza nodded with satisfaction. ''Thank you for coming, Sir Alec. What happened to you in such a hurry to get me? You''re right, I need you to do something for me ASAP. As the Emperor Elisabeth made her presence known, a group of mere servants without any official position brought something in. Attached to a board was a huge map with the map of the empire on it. Is this ...... a rebellion? "You are quick to understand, that''s Sir Alec. Eliza nodded with satisfaction. On the map the servant brought, there''s a part blacked out area around the northern frontier. In the framework that marks the governed area, the area is clearly filled in. The writing is immediately recognizable as ''rebellion''. If you know it''s a rebellion, you''ll know what I mean. I understand that, but why me? I take a breath and look around the audience chamber. There are officials, servants, and guards, but the person I''m trying to find is nowhere to be seen. Returning my gaze, I ask Eliza, "This is the strongest warrior in the empire. "I think it would be more appropriate to send Horsen Chohi, the greatest warrior in the Empire, here. "Sir, you''re half right and half wrong. What do you mean? This rebellion is huge. "Big? It''s the biggest one since I ascended the throne. Really? ....... "Therefore, to show the resolute will of the Empire, we must put an end to this at once by throwing in our strongest cards. Leaning back will sway the people''s minds. "Yes. That''s quite true. But the best tag is not Sir Chohi. Just you, Sir Alec. "...... me? Hmm. The strongest and highest-ranking person in the Empire, excluding me, the Vice-Emperor Alexander Carlisle. You are the strongest card in the Empire and the best example of your seriousness. "I see. When you put it that way, it''s true. "Will you do it, Sir Alec? Yes, I will. I''ll do my best for you. I understood, and I readily agreed. Then Elisabeth smiled with satisfaction - and for some reason her face turned a little red. I went into battle with a crushing force. The strike force formed for the subdue, ten thousand of them. It was quite spectacular to see ten thousand troops just moving about. In the center, a gigantic portable shrine was on its way, protected by the army. Just riding on that five-meter square portable shrine makes me feel like I''m a person who can do anything. It''s about time to see the rebel stronghold, the seventh stronghold, Archaide. I see. . ...... It''s fine. I turned my head to the side. Riding on the same mikoshi, it was Eliza who gave me "the report. It was Eliza dressed as a maid to the general. I stifled my voice - no. I used a silencing spell to muffle my voice. I stifled my voice - no. I used a silencing spell and asked Eliza, "Why is Eliza with you? "Why is Eliza with you? I wanted to see everything with my own eyes. "Then why didn''t Eliza go to war? The emperor''s personal conquest would be more serious than the vice emperor''s. It''s not good enough. If I''m the emperor, things will get too big. It''ll be too much for them to handle. "...... You mean a political decision? "That''s right. Eliza replied with a wink. Emperor Eliza has a different charm and cuteness from the time of Emperor Eliza, but it''s ...... but. "Besides, if the emperor comes out and something goes wrong, we''re in trouble. They will be desperate to get you. Yeah, I can see that one. The emperor is absolute for the empire. If he were to die on the battlefield, the empire itself could collapse. The "emperor" should not go into battle unless he is very careful. Even vice emperor, no. There is such a gap between the emperor and the rest of the world that they can ultimately be classified as such. You shouldn''t have come to ...... to see for yourself in safety. You know what I''m talking about. Eliza slapped me on the back even more happily. Well, if that''s the case, it can''t be helped. And I want to see ...... cool Alec too. ...... "Hmm?What did you just say? I missed Eliza''s words, which were suddenly toned down because of the high tension right before. It''s nothing. I told her to let me go in case of an emergency. I know. I will protect Eliza with my life. If something were to happen to the emperor, war would break out across the country and many people would be unhappy. This must be stopped at all costs. ...... ugh. Satisfied, Eliza smiles depressedly. Then she turns her gaze from Eliza to her original direction, to Arcadian. Then we need to figure out a way to bring it down. "No, that was the last one. "Last?Even if you don''t want to. I looked down at the map in my hand. It was an enlarged map of the area, right on the front line of the rebel army, and it was clearly marked "Fort Alkayd". Do we need to drop it here to get to the back? Normally, yes, but they brought out the plum wards. "Plum Wards? One of the Great Magic . . a super-widespread wizarding wizardry that harnesses the magic of seven stars that coincide once every 100 years. What''s the effect? "Did you notice the numbered forts? "Yes. Eliza is right, each rebel fort on the map is assigned a number. The fort called Doube is numbered 1. Merak is numbered 2, Fekuda is numbered 3, Megrez is numbered 4, Alioto is numbered 5, Mizar is numbered 6. And here in front of us is the Archaide, 7. What do these numbers mean? You have to attack them in that order. "Yeah? As long as there are still a number of forts younger than that one to be exact, the soldiers there can''t be hurt no matter what they do. They''ll be invincible. So you have to drop one, then two, then three - in that order, that''s the plow''s warding. "It''s a messy magic. "So true!You can only use it once in a hundred years, so you can''t be careful. Eliza, I know what you''re thinking, but it''s tricky. Still, it''s tricky. I looked at the map again. The younger the numbers are, the younger the fort is positioned, the more protected the rebel backcountry is, in that order. Well, to hear the effect now, that''s how I would place them. So we have to drop it at the back, at number one Dube first. "I see. ...... I asked the Philosopher''s Stone, which I carry on my person, just in case. The information I got from the Philosopher''s Stone was exactly the same as Eliza''s. Even with my SSS-ranked magic power, I can''t hurt the soldiers of the seventh Arkadian fort. It''s the way it is. So we''ll do a little detour. "Oh, wait a minute, "Huh? Surprised Eliza, I stood up and jumped off the portable shrine. All troops stop. Wait here until further notice. A nearby commando heard my order and gave the order. The wave of orders spread, and the ten thousand troops stopped dead in their tracks. Alec! Wait there. Turned around, said to Eliza over her shoulder, and then stepped forward. Stand face-to-face with the Archaide, standing clearly out of ten thousand troops. Create the seven-colored magic spheres, kneading magic power. Collide the seven colored magic spheres together and make them one. The colliding magic spheres change color one by one. After the seven colors are blended together, the result is the color of nothingness. Although transparent, the color of nothingness is something different from complete transparency. It was emitted. The magic sphere morphed into a snarled shape and flew toward the fort in a line. A beam of nothingness, the most destructive offensive magic I can use. To my knowledge of the Philosopher''s Stone, it''s a broad-ranging magic of the strategic class. The next thing I knew, the fort was gouged. Just as I placed a hot iron bar on a block of ice, the fort was gouged cleanly into the shape of a beam. There was no debris, and what was once a fort vanished cleanly. My back was buzzing, and the suddenness of the event was upsetting, despite the fact that the soldiers were on my side. "Alec! Eliza belatedly jumped off the mikoshi and stood beside me. What was that? Colorless beam--well, it''s a hell of a destructive spell. "It''s funny, because the plough''s magic circle protects you-- "It''s a human thing. The fort is not protected. "Huh? See? I cast a telephoto spell on Eliza. What is this!Oh, I can see far away. ...... and everyone else is swooning! They say that humans are unharmed, but there is no protection for anything else. So, if you blow up the whole fort, you''ll be left with an unharmed human being, with no weapons and no armor. "...... Eliza exclaims. "Yeah?What''s going on?Still not convinced? "...... not so funny to begin with, "Huh? Magic that blows up an entire fort isn''t something you can use that easily. ...... that way. "I think I already knew how great Alec was, but I guess I wasn''t aware of it yet. Eliza was half dumbfounded and half happy to say. 43 02. A good man finds out that the enemy general is a fake Three colorless beams completely obliterated Fort Arcadian with three shots. Not a metaphor for anything, as it literally wiped what was once a fort from the ground. I feel like I''m being watched in a weird parlor trick. Why? After finishing the third shot, Eliza stood next to me and said in disgust, "I thought there were all these things inside the fort, like the barracks and the armory and the military caves and the fodder. Inside the fort, there were barracks, armouries, military storehouses, military provisions and so on, right? I''m sure there will be. Otherwise it''s just an enclosure. "You blew them all up together, and now they''re all naked. Go to the plow wards to complain about it. Yeah, it''s not my fault. I just turned up the magic output and blew up everything else because the humans inside the fort with the plow wards are absolutely invincible. Humans are invincible, I blow up everything else, and the humans are all naked and safe. That''s all there is to it. Well. Very well. Yes, Vice-Emperor, your next command. Eliza said with some trepidation and urged me on. That''s what I thought. You may have blown up the fort, but it''s not the end. I pulled myself together and gave the order out loud. "All troops, charge!Unarmed person must be captured. The order has been given, and ten thousand soldiers, taken aback by the disappearance of the fort, have come to their senses and launched an assault. Ten thousand armed Imperial regulars, against an unknown number of rebels, all stripped naked and armed, have been wiped out. The game was already in hand before it began, and the other side surrendered completely as the soldiers closed in and surrounded them. As an aside, we also blew away what would have been a white flag, so it took a little while for the other side to show their willingness to surrender. I''m in trouble. I''m in trouble. The site of the former Fort Alkayd, in front of 3000 enemy soldiers. The captured enemy soldiers were stripped naked and made to sit on the ground on a dare. No restraints, because there was no need. An enemy soldier who is not injured and not cornered. They may look like they were pinched by a fox from being blown off the fort, but they are all still sane. Sane people first hide or hide in the nude. Just by leaving them naked, you are effectively restricting their movements. In front of 3,000 naked people, Eliza and I were rather annoyed. That''s not what we were expecting -- well, not exactly what we were expecting given that we were all naked, but it''s not what we were expecting in this rout. "Once again, the person in charge here, the general, come out. "A man named Camperi Frontal Eliza at the side to supplement. Camperi Frontal. The man who is said to be the general of the Seventh Fort and the general of the rebel army. Since the plough''s wards make the people inside the fort invincible, he should be among this bare-chested horde. SCENE. No one responded to my call and Eliza''s. Our captors stared at us angrily, averting their eyes and fidgeting, covering their parts with their hands. ....... Their reactions were different, but there was no commander in sight. I''m confused. Status and authority depend mostly on what you''re wearing. To be honest, I can''t tell them apart if they''re all naked. "It would be easier to understand if it was Eliza. It would be more obvious if she was Eliza. "What--what are you talking about? Huh?Oh, no. I said what I thought I was going to say, but that was s*xual harassment. I''m sorry, that was insensitive. I mean, it''s fine. ....... "Hey, hey. "Huh? "Really stand out?Even if I''m inside the same naked woman. "Let''s see. ...... I''m confused, how do I answer? Yes, I''ve already done it. So you need to take responsibility for what you say. I gave my honest opinion. "Yeah, it''s conspicuous. You''ll know it when you see it. Eliza''s just so dazzlingly beautiful. Yes, yes ......, of course. Eliza sniffed and turned away. I wonder if she''s ...... okay. I don''t think she''s at least not angry anymore. Then this is the end of the story. I looked again at the naked captives. Eliza pulled herself together and did the same thing. It''s going to be hard to find the one you want in here. Shall I torture them one by one? "...... No, it''s okay. I''ll try to do my magic. I''ll leave it to Alec then. Eliza looked casual and went into watchfulness mode, leaving it completely up to me. Formulate your magic and use a spell you learned long ago (). You don''t ask the Philosopher''s Stone, it''s magic you already know. You raise your dominant hand and a ray of light stretches from the tip of your index finger like a thread. The thread wavers and points in a certain direction. What''s that? Keep up with this. Using a thread of light as a guide, we wade through the captives as we go through them. Eliza and I wove our way through the path the Imperial Guard had created a little later. A thread of light came to a man and pointed to him. He was a middle-aged man, and when we came in front of him, he freaked out. I turned my head away, but Eliza stepped in and grabbed his face and made him turn it. "He fits the description I''ve heard. You must be Camperi Frontal. "Humph!I don''t want to be found out. What do you have to say for yourself? "I will not be humiliated like this, kill! "Master Camperi! "Mr. Frontal! The soldiers around you scream. Hearing this, Eliza is more and more convinced that the man in front of her is the one they want. "If you insist-- "Hey, who''s that guy? "What? The voice of the man and Eliza overlapped beautifully. The alleged Camperi looked as if he had seen something terrible. What are you doing? You''re not a Camperi man, are you? "What do you mean, Alec? "Fake--this guy is a shadow warrior. How do you know? "This I moved my fingers. The cord of light pointing at the man in front of me wavered. "Isn''t the color the same as the first?It turns red when it gets to the real thing. Really? "Yeah. It''s a spell I''ve learned to use when I need to get back to him from Eliza''s shadow. Of course I''d go if the real one was nearby. When the time comes, I''ll fly to Azazel, but there might be an exception. "For me ...... Eliza''s cheeks flushed. But then she quickly pulled herself together and coughed. Not only did you find the general of the fort, but you let him turn out to be a fake on the spot. ...... "What''s the matter, Eliza, thinking suddenly and thoughtfully "With Alec, you can find the real thing without this guy having to answer any questions. Yeah, I guess so. Yes, we can find it. This is the magic to find Eliza, no matter what state the shadow warrior is in. Once it is remembered, I let go of the thread of light. It was sucked into the man''s body and then came out as if nothing had happened, wobbling toward the day after tomorrow. That kind of magic, if you follow the thread of light, you''ll get to the real thing. Not as good as it sounds. Eliza smiled happily as if it were her own thing. 44 03. Good man, destroy fort with zero damage Led by the magic of the chase, they march further on. Here comes the next fort. Dube, right? Yeah. . first bastion, Dube. I believe the number is one. "Yes, a fort that can be dropped normally On the palanquin, me and Eliza nodded at each other. I checked the Philosopher''s Stone, which I carry with me always, just in case. The plough''s wards, while the number of the fort is lower than the number we set, that fort goes into invincible mode. The first fort, Dube. The youngest numbered fort is part of the warding, but it''s really just a regular fort. From the additional information Eliza didn''t mention from the Philosopher''s Stone, the plough wards have several other options, but no matter what you do, this doube is still a normal fort that can be attacked normally. You''re in there, Camperi. "Yeah, definitely. "So you want me to attack you? "...... yeah I nodded, stood up on the palanquin and went to the front of the rim. "All troops charge in, taking down the Dube fort. There is a special reward for the first spear and the capture of Camperi. Orders were immediately delivered and morale was up a notch. Almost the entire army rushed to the Duve fort, leaving behind the main body of soldiers guarding the shrine. I took a deep breath and held out a magic circle at my feet to activate my magic. Are we going to shoot that thing? "No, the colorless beam won''t work this time. If it normally works, we''ll just shoot all their soldiers at once. That''s a good point. I just thought I''d give you guys a little support. With Eliza convinced, I further increased my magic power. With the Mpapat formula, feel the wave of magic power. I scoop up the limit, 120% of the peak, and activate my magic. The magic circle expands, and the earth glows for a moment. What was that? After confirming the activation of the magic, Eliza asked me. "Just a little support. A little support... to give us an edge. "You mean auxiliary magic? "Something like that. I see. Eliza nodded with satisfaction, confirming that the battle situation of the fort attack was favorable. . The battle for Doube was over in half a day. Seeing that the imperial flag had been raised over the fort, I ordered the soldiers to move forward with the main shrine. I am here to tell you. When I came to the front of the fort, several captain-level soldiers came running up and knelt in front of the portable shrine. How did it go? The fort fell and captured a man who appeared to be Camperi Frontal. "Yes. I nodded, and I caught a glimpse of Eliza giving a small gut-punch right beside me. "What''s the damage here? "Yes, that''s ...... A soldier stammering, I thought to myself, "Well, I won''t get mad, so you can report it honestly. "I''m not angry, so you can report it honestly. "Yes, yes That being said, the soldier still stutters. After a while, he finally decided to. "Zero, sir. "Huh! Eliza made a funny noise next to me. "Yeah, okay, "No, no, no, no, okay. Isn''t that funny, Alec?Zero?There can''t be zero for any amount of time, anyone who reports a deception in such a deceitful manner must be punished. When Eliza said that, the soldier gasped. Yes, this is why he was so stubborn. There is no way that would be normal, zero wear and tear. "Remember what I did with the magic before? "Huh?Oh yeah. It''s not strictly magic, it''s something that strengthens the plough''s wards. "Enhanced?You can''t do that. There''s a lot of things to enhance. One of the plough''s warding options, when taken to the limit, will affect your opponent''s forces. Opponent ...... is this one in this case. So . In the case of an invincible fort, the effect is to weaken attacking enemy soldiers. . instead. Take a breath. "The youngest number, a normal fort, would make the opponent invincible. That''s why they didn''t put it on. It''s an option that can be used in conjunction with terrain, but it''s still an effect that will slow one down past the point of weakness. The one that warded the plow wouldn''t have done it whether he knew it or not. I forced it on them. You can''t break the plough warding, but you can retrofit the effect. With it on, the youngest number, First Fort Dube, was weakened on the fort''s side, and the imperial army was invincible. The result was zero damage. "Zero, zero is ...... The attackers of the fort suffered zero losses. The most improbable outcome of the war seems to have left even Eliza, who should know me well, too surprised to speak. 45 The Good Man Breaks the Curse of 100 Years From the top of the ramparts of the first fort, we saw off a detachment of the attacking troops. We split our forces in half, but we''ll see. Eliza, who is with me, asked. I think we''ll be fine. If you attack the fort in the order you''re ordered to, the plow wards will make us invincible. Yeah, that''s right. Well, let''s get this over with. "Camperi is the mastermind, so I''ll escort him to the capital and let Eliza take care of him, but what about the other generals? "Leave it to Alec. Eliza had given me her complete trust. To earn her trust, I had to take care of the rest. Ostensibly the vice emperor and his maidservant, I took Eliza with me as I descended the ramparts. The remainder of the troops are guarding the captured enemy general. First, I''ve ordered Campelli, the ringleader, to be clerical escorted to the imperial capital. Look around at the remaining generals. Now what to do--. Clan! "Prepare! Suddenly, I heard a murderous shout. I saw some captured enemy soldiers jumping at me, tearing the ropes behind their backs. Almost half-naked, clad only in loincloths, the warriors with tattoos on their faces. A unique group of enemy soldiers jumped at me. "Protect the Vice-Imperor! The soldiers react, dozens of them all at once get between me and my opponent. But they are quickly kicked away. They all seem to be veteran warriors, effortlessly dispersing the ordinary soldiers and closing in on me. At first I used my bare hands, but the weapons I''ve grabbed from the civilians make the desire to kill even stronger. "Alec! Amidst the shouts of Eliza, prevent the attack of the enemy group with a magical barrier. When the movement stops, you create a magic sphere of wind and crush the weapons you have, returning fire on all of them. They attacked me, and they looked like a tribe in numbers and appearance. What a shame! "In front of the patriarch''s memory "Kill!But this regret will haunt you forever! It was no longer a murderous spirit, but a grudge. The person I defeated, everyone hurled a curse at me. This one''s ...... for a reason. I cast a healing spell on them. I was a little tame to begin with, so they had minor injuries. Rather, I adjusted their magic to recover perfectly and completely () so as not to over-heal. What did you mean by that? One of the men, the one with the most complicated - or maybe the most prestigious tattoo for them - yelled at me. The fight is over, and I''m not the enemy anymore! "Nonsense! "I want to hear a story. There''s something else that bothers me with every word. What do you mean by "avenging my father''s death"? "Pushing our clan of Nature to the frontier for a slap on the wrist! "To the frontier? "Don''t say you''ve forgotten!A hundred years ago, the then emperor drove us out of the holy land of our homeland, Zulan. Since then we have not been able to return to our homeland and we were forced to live in the northern frontier! I see. I thought for a minute and said. "All right, well, I''ll let you go home. "...... Huh? The men who look at you puzzled. What''s this guy going to say?You can see the expression on his face, "I''m going to let you go. I said I''d let you go. I know about Zooran. I know, or rather, I just looked it up in Philosopher''s Stone. I didn''t have to tell you that, so I''ll just say that I know it. Zulan is in the territory of my ...... Alexander League, so it''s my decision to make. I glanced at Eliza to make sure she was okay, but she gave me a small nod that the rest of us couldn''t see. Having received the emperor''s approval to do what I wanted, I proceeded further. There are others, right? You can go with them. But when Nature''s men heard that, they were furious. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!You''re going to make a fool of us even more! What do you mean? The curse that was placed on me, the curse placed on me by the emperor at the time. You know that and you''re poking fun at me! Our family, the curse that hangs in our veins. We no longer live except in the coldest of frontiers! "You can''t stand extreme heat, or even ''warm''! They all yell at me, bloodshot eyes, almost screaming rattles. It''s like a hundred years of bitterness, a hundred years of resentment, all at once. Does that mean you have a cat''s tongue all over your body? "Still fooling around! One of the men grabbed the tip of the shattered weapon and angrily tried to jump at him. "I''ve already untied it, "--What? The man who was about to jump on me stopped, the other men also went crazy. . What do you mean? "I just healed you up. I was wondering why the curse was on you, but... It was a curse, and I lifted it off at the same time. "Bah, bakana ...... "A man of the Empire would do such a thing? "No, but before that, how easily can you break the blood curse that my family has not been able to break for a hundred years: ......? "Unbelievable?Then-- I looked around, saw a tub of water and grabbed it. I made a small magic ball of fire and put it in the vat. The magic ball of flame heats up the water. When I made sure the water was just right, I poured it over them. Oh--it''s not hot? "Warm, ko, is this hot water? "For the first time in my life, ...... is that warm? ......? The men who were sprayed with hot water were either surprised or impressed with their eyes. The curse prevented them from being exposed to hot water, from birth to death, and from eating hot food. When the blood curse was lifted, the wonder and emotion eventually turned to gratitude. They turned their gratitude toward me. "O God of our salvation! "''God! The warriors of my clan, nearly thirty men, all on their hands and knees on the ground, worshipped me. I knew I would be thanked, but I never expected to be called a god. 46 The Good Man regains his precious things by space-time magic Triumphal Return . Taking advantage of the plough''s wards, he led the defeated army that had taken down the seven forts with zero damage and made a triumphant return to the imperial capital. Even from a few kilometers away from the city, the city''s inhabitants could be seen waiting for them, almost unanimously. That''s how much the inhabitants were rushing to the entrance of the city, waiting for the victorious parade of the victorious vanquished army that had returned after a complete victory. Incidentally, Eliza is not on the palanquin on which I am riding now. As she is returning in triumph, she is going to return first to greet the vanquished army as the emperor. Now let''s first pass this roadside crowd and head for the palace. And just as I was thinking... --Whoa, whoa, whoa! There were loud cheers from the crowd waiting along the roadside. The cheers weren''t just feelings of joy, but also contained no small amount of surprise and confusion. Wondering what''s going on, I soon found out why. The walls surrounding the imperial city, its open gates. From behind it, the emperor Elisabeth appeared. The crowd reacts to her appearance. I didn''t expect to be greeted by the emperor himself ...... I quickly jumped down from the palanquin and walked over to the emperor and knelt down in front of him in a fluid manner. "Alexander Carlyle, I am back. "That was a great cause, Sir Alexander. Your services have been noted. You have done well to remove the worm from the lion''s body. "What a waste of words. No one interrupted my interaction with Eliza. Almost everyone in the crowd was watching my interaction with the emperor with bated breath. I suddenly remembered this defeat, the other objective Eliza mentioned. To show the seriousness of the empire. That is--it needs to be staged. I looked up at Eliza on my knees and said in a crisp, assertive tone, "I am your sword. "I am your sword. All the enemies of the empire will be seen crushed by Alexander Carlyle here. I said to Eliza, with the implication that I would continue to do so. At that moment, the tension in the crowd, which had been holding their breath, reached a climax. Oh, shit!It''s so cool! "It is the proclamation of the invincible Vice-Emperor, I''m glad I was born in this era. ...... "Hail to the Emperor!Vice-Emperor Banzai! Amidst the cheers of our praise, Elisa and I entered the castle on a portable shrine, just like in a victory parade. Amidst the cheers along the roadside, waving my hands and whispering to Elisa, "I''m surprised, I didn''t expect to see you here. I was surprised that Elisa came to pick me up. This is also a production, you know. Yes. Normally, the emperor waits in the audience chamber until he comes to the entrance of the royal palace after a major achievement. I think-- Yeah, that was the case with Hosen. "It''s too good to leave the gates of the city and be greeted outside the capital - to the outskirts, so to speak. It''s a flowing exchange of dialogues, as if they are trying to answer each other''s questions. Not the emperor or anything else, but ordinary families. It''s the same for welcoming visitors to the house and seeing them off. Waiting inside the house is quite different from leaving the house and going outside. The crowds along the roadside are very excited, just as Elisa wanted. That''s how serious I am (). I felt like Eliza''s words meant something else, but I was more concerned about the earrings she was wearing. ''What''s up?Look at me like that. That earrings of Eliza ...... made by Orihalcon?It''s unusual to use orichalcone as an ornament. Orihalcon is a precious metal, but its value is due to its hardness and high magic conduction - in other words, its utility in battle. Noblemen''s accessories are usually made of gems, gold, and other items of high aesthetic value. The noblest of nobles, especially the emperor. An emperor''s formal attire should never include an orichalcon. Besides-- Besides... Because that''s what''s left of that thing you just melted down at random. "Huh? "Didn''t you defend against Lord Carlisle''s attack the first day we met? "Oh, father''s ''gap! Ka I remembered everything that was said. I remembered everything. I see...the remains of your father''s greatsword that I melted with the magic ball. Do you need to use that? Do you want me to give it a better shape? It''s okay. Eliza waved her hand at the large crowd and said no with a smile. "It''s a commemoration of the first day I met Alec. These things are worth it ''as they were''. "I see. I never thought of the idea, but when I was told, it made sense. If Eliza says so, nothing else. I just went on and did the triumphant parade with Eliza. * Alexander League territory, Zulan region . The clan of Nature, the women and children came here with their clan, which had swelled to nearly five hundred people with the joining of the clan. This is ...... our sanctuary, Zulan ......? The youngsters of the clan were baffled. It''s no wonder that this place that brought them here is seemingly a ruin, an empty grassland. "There is no mistake: ...... It was the old man, almost mummified, the head of the family, who said this. His voice was hoarse, but weighty. That mountain, that river, surely this is Zulan, the site of our altar to our god. "Poof!The empire, they destroyed it without a trace. "Not only did they drive us away - the outcast! Nature''s family spoke of the empire and cursed the emperor a hundred years ago. Is it still so important? When I asked, the most formally tattooed warrior chief, Wooi, replied in a slightly toned-down tone: "Yes, that''s where our ancestors, our clan''s heroic spirits, are laid to rest. Yes, that''s where our ancestors, the geniuses of our family, rest. That''s pretty important stuff: ...... Okay I have it on my person since I heard the Philosopher''s Stone. "Oui, and guys. Give us some space. "Eh ......, okay. Oui was puzzled, but he listened to me. When Oui commanded, the warriors and the women and children of the clan. Step by step, they slipped away from me. When I was sure they were far enough away, I used my magic. I reached out and sensed () and spread a magic circle in its place. The ground that had looked like a magic circle became limp and distorted. After a while, buildings "grew" out of the warped place, like plants. With a rumbling sound, the thing that grew out was what anyone would call an altar. By the time the light from the magic circle had died down, it had fully descended to earth. It was as if it had been there all along. I turned to Nature''s clan. "There''s the altar, isn''t it? "Did you rebuild it? Oh, it looks just like what I''ve heard. "This is ...... the home of our soul. ...... Nearly half of Nature''s clan was impressed. But it is mainly only the young people. Those who have grown up to some extent, such as the warrior chief Oui, have a complex expression on their faces all at once. "What''s wrong? "I am only thankful that you rebuilt the altar. But it doesn''t bring back the history of our family that was lost... "No, this isn''t a rebuild, is it? "--Heh? Wooey, who had a complicated look on his face, snapped out of it. ''This isn''t a rebuild, this is real. "Ho, what is the real thing: ...... "A piece of spatio-temporal magic. Pulled exactly what was once here. So it''s real. "...... ''In the moment,'' that''s what''s important. There is no such thing as magic ....... As Oui was unable to accept it, the clan elder took a shaky step toward the altar. Muttering something in front of the altar, he took out a knife and split his palm open, "offering" fresh blood. Then something in the shape of a man came out of the altar. A translucent human shape with only the upper body. It began to come out slowly and painfully. Whoa! "Wow, my ancestors! "It''s real!It''s a real altar! Nature''s clan all knelt in unison and worshipped their ancestors, all with great tears in their eyes. As I watched, I secretly thanked Eliza in my heart for teaching me something important. 47 06. The Good Man regains what he lost I watched from a distance as Nature''s tribe worshipped the altar and their ancestors. Just a quick look at them is enough to make it clear. You can tell at a glance that this land is very important to them, where their ancestors have remained for generations. So I will watch them until they are satisfied. "Huh? The next thing you know, the clan has begun a ceremony. At first, everyone was just so moved by the emotion that they were all worshipping, but before you knew it, the clan''s elders were leading the movement. Movements like dances, whispers with rhythm like songs. Rituals found in primitive, spirit beliefs. In response to the ritual, a force is gathered at the altar. And as I watch, I wonder what''s going on. Aaaaah! Suddenly a man cried out in anguish and collapsed, coughing up blood. What''s the matter with you? "It''s okay ...... this is a necessary thing In a hoarse voice the elder replied. I''m not as bad as the man, but the elder seems to be in pain too. He''s faltering on his feet and looks like he''s about to fall. Is this necessary? "A ritual to welcome back the ''blood'' that has been passed down through the family from generation to generation, to welcome the ''blood'' back into the family. The elder repeating like a raving idiot. Nothing can stop it. I have observed the ritual and the forces gathering in response to it. I don''t understand the rituals, but I do understand the flow of power. It calls together the magic of the earth, the power that is in nature, and brings together clans of men to become one medium to exert that power in unison. In other words, to summon the power of nature, to invoke magic with the whole clan. I get it, and I also get another thing. It''s clear that we don''t have enough vessels. For the vast magic of nature, there weren''t enough humans in the clan. There''s a limit to how much humans can handle, and it varies from person to person. The rituals are performed by a large number of people - similar to the parallelism of the Mupapato - by forcibly increasing the capacity. That''s ...... not enough. The number of people gathered is clearly not enough for the force. It''s not just the man who fell, but the men and women of the clan, adults and children, all on top of each other''s heads. They''re all red from head to toe, blood vessels are about to burst and they all look like they''re in agony. I know that the power is so great that it''s about to explode. After observing the flow of magic, I stepped into the circle of the Nature clan. Ah, ...... "Huh? "It''s easier ...... why There was a bewilderment from all parts of the clan. Continue. He said in a short but clear tone. Immediately, some people--some of them quicker than others, including the elders--understood the situation. I stepped in and enlarged the vessel. The power of nature passing through my body was almost the same as an SSS-ranked 120% of full magical power. Considering the time of reincarnation, that means magic power equal to a god. No wonder the mortals couldn''t bear it. But I can, so I stepped in between. The quicker ones have all looked at me with respect. The way the load on my body diminished, I understood what it meant for me to step in. If I had been left to fend for myself, my body would have exploded under the spell of nature. I''m sure they could have done it in the past, but they can''t do it now that they''ve been driven from the Holy Land and their clan is greatly reduced. With me, an SSS-ranked man, taking over 90% of the power pathways, the ritual moved smoothly to the next level. Power gathered at the altar, whirling like a whirlwind into one place. And the result is. It''s really blood. ...... I couldn''t help but mutter to myself. I thought their "blood" was some kind of metaphor, but it''s not so. It''s a drop of blood, sparkling like a jewel, floating in the air, created by nature through the altar and the clan (+me). Mia Vera. "Yes. The elders called and a girl answered. The girl got up and went toward the blood. She was a beautiful girl. She was more than Xiaomei and less than Eliza - about fourteen years old. She was unforgettable at first sight, a beautiful girl that was quite striking. She stood in front of the blood, clasped her hands together in prayer and then slowly picked it up and pulled it into her chest. The blood melted into her. Blood inheritance. So that was just what she said. Just after I was convinced, I saw an unbelievable scene. She was already a beautiful girl, but she became even more beautiful in the blink of an eye. In just a few seconds, she had fully absorbed the blood and became the most beautiful girl in my life--the most beautiful girl in my SSS-ranked life and all of her previous lives combined--for decades. Hatching . A beautiful girl hatched into a beautiful girl of the world. Oooh. "The ritual is a success. "O our light! This time the clan began to worship one by one against Mia Vera. Feeling as if the fox had pinched me, I asked the Philosopher''s Stone why. Information about the "blood" of the Nature clan. The answer was immediately apparent. From generation to generation, Nature''s clan performed a ritual on the most beautiful girl in the clan, passing on the element of beauty. Only beauty is passed down, condensed, and then passed on to the next generation. It is the blood of beauty passed down from generation to generation, a thoroughbred of beauty, so to speak. One hundred years ago, the emperor of the empire tried with all his might to obtain the most beautiful woman on earth, but was unable to do so, so he cast a spiteful curse on his clan, pushing them to the frontier and destroying this altar in their holy land. After destroying it, he carefully sprinkled salt on it. I took it back and restored the ceremonial altar. So the beauty condensed over a hundred years was passed on to a new girl again. God of salvation. When the ceremony was over, the elder turned to me and spoke to me in a hushed voice. What? "I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing back our history, our soul. Good for you. We hope you will accept our thanks. "You mean presents? The elder nodded. At the same time, the other clansmen focused their gaze on me. Enthusiastic eyes. Hundreds of eager eyes at once, gratitude. Apparently, I can''t help but receive them. I know what happened, and I understand their gratitude. Our most precious treasure. Okay, I''ll take it. "Then ...... The elder said and Mia Vera came toward me. The most beautiful girl I''ve ever seen, a girl of concentrated beauty. I was wondering if I was going to receive it from her. "Thank you, God of our salvation. Miavela knelt down in front of me and bows her head deeply. "...... you mean," she said. "Yes. I see. The most important thing, the one who has inherited the blood. I didn''t expect that, but now that it''s here, it''s understandable. You gave me something special and I will give it back to you. "Oh no!This is our feeling-- Ask the Philosopher''s Stone. The wise stone told me how to do what I want to do. Close your eyes, hold out your hand, and unfold the magic circle. It''s one of the hardest spells I''ve ever done, and I''m going to cast it on someone (), so I did it carefully. And then... And then... she''s even more beautiful! I heard the clansmen start to buzz one by one in astonishment, and I realized that the magic had succeeded. I opened my eyes and looked at Mia Vera. She is sticky on her face with a curious expression. To the surprise of everyone around her, she was even more beautiful. All of Nature''s clan around her look in disbelief. God, what the hell is this ...... The elder asked me. "Don''t worry, I didn''t add anything weird. A hundred years lost, I guess you could say. "One Hundred Years Lost: ...... "Yeah. For the last hundred years, we''ve been giving back what everyone really could have done. And I gave it back to you with an application of spacetime magic. That''s why-- It''s everyone''s rightful possession. The buzzing grew even louder - and then, in a flash, the whole clan knelt down to me. Everyone, young and old, men and women, showed me even more gratitude than before. It chills me a little that this is all in return. 48 07. A good man makes an immortal dress With instantaneous travel magic, I returned to Carlisle''s mansion with Mia Vera. In the garden of the mansion where I landed, Angier was practicing his daily healing spell. Noticing me, Angier came running over to me happily. Welcome home, Alec! "I''m home, Angel. "You''re a guest--whew! As soon as he saw Mia Vera''s face, which was half-hidden behind my back, he let out a curt voice. What is it, Angel? "You are an amazingly beautiful person!She is an amazingly beautiful person!You are an amazingly beautiful person, Mr. Alec. Three times. "Are you some kind of princess? It''s Mia Vera, she''s going to live with us from today. God. Mia Vera called to me from behind. Turn around. She stood quietly, she was so beautiful and elegant that Angier could tell she was repeating herself three times. The clothes she is wearing are also the same ones she changed into after she decided to come with me, a well-tailored and elegant dress. Angier was right, you look like a princess. She looks at me with elegant, but strong-willed eyes. Please take me with you, Mia. Then you can call me Alec too. "It is an affront to God-- Otherwise, I''ll call you Miabella too, right?You''re older than me, so it''s normal to call me by my name. She smiles, interrupting her words with a smirk. A brief hesitation, and then. "Okay. Mr. Alec ......, is that okay? "Yeah, thanks Mia Wow ...... is still beautiful, very ...... Angel said with a wince and a sigh. Blood Heir Mia, whose beauty would make even the same s*x gawk at you. I''m not surprised that you called me a god. "Huh?Because Alec always does something so amazing that people call him God, "I wonder if it''s that common. "Besides, "And? I always think that Alec is really a god who was reincarnated to help humans. So it''s not strange to be called a god. "I see you''re getting stained by your fathers, Angel. Smiling. I am a reincarnation of the SSS rank. Maybe God is not far behind. Well, since we''re here, let''s get inside the house. We need to introduce Mia to the guys and we need to get her a room. "Me!I''ll let Amelia know! Angel said and pattered into the house. We''ll come with you. "Yes. Mia nodded with an elegant gesture. You acted like a lady, or as if you were some princess Angier had mentioned at first, and followed me. Mia sitting on the sofa in the living room of the mansion, her back straight, facing me, and Angel next to me. Me facing it, and Angel next to me. I''m sorry, both your father and mother have gone out. ...... Let''s just leave it at that. You can still introduce Mia at a later date. With a bang, there was a knock on the door. As I complied, the maid, Amelia, came into the room pushing a cart. On top of the cart there is a tea and cake set for three people. "--! Bikun!And Mia seemed to shiver for a moment. What''s going on is that she''s still upright, but her eyes are fixed on the dolly Amelia is pushing. Or more correctly, she was gazing intently at the cake on the dolly. Amelia finishes serving tea and cake to the three of us and leaves the room. All the while, Mia kept glancing at the cake, staring at it like she wasn''t looking (). "You like the cake? "No, no!No, it''s not. I know. Hey, Angel. "Yes. Angel smiled innocently and nodded. "No, I really don''t think that kind of-- Then you should wipe the drool off your mouth. "------! Mia gasped and hurriedly wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "Ah! After scrubbing the drool off, he now gazed at his own sleeve, which he had used to wipe. The slightly crumpled, slobbery cuffs were a far cry from the "classy" behavior she had been exhibiting. It was a far cry from the "classy" way she had been acting. You might want to check ...... "No, it''s not! I haven''t said anything yet. "--Huh! Mia jumped ahead, her beautiful face turning bright red. I ask her again, with a smirk on my face. Do you ever look like that? "Yes, it''s ....... ...... Mia was lost for answers. The air had completely collapsed. The air of propriety that had been in place a moment ago had vanished without a trace, and now there was a girl of her age who was flustered. The moment she gasped and was about to answer, the living room suddenly went dark. The inside of the living room suddenly went dark. I looked out the window to see what was going on and saw Calamity''s huge body--no, her face. Calamity''s face completely covered the window, and the room went dark. What is it, Calamity-- "Look out, Mr. Alec! Mia moved before I could ask. She grabbed the knife that was with the cake and jumped straight to Calamity. With a tremendous spring and an undeterred goodness of spirit. Mia took on Calamity with one knife. Of course, there was no way she was going to match Calamity. Calamity, the patron dragon of the empire, the king of the skies. A fourteen-year-old girl can''t do it with a knife. Calamity humph!And with a light snort, Mia is blown away by a gust of wind. Blown away, Mia falls down. She quickly jumps up, but her clothes are torn here and there, and her limbs and face are scratched here and there. Still. We''ll hold them off, Master Alec, while they''re still alive! I think he recognizes Calamity as an enemy and is taking a risk and trying to frighten me. It''s okay, Mia. "...... huh? "Angel, cure Mia "Yes!Don''t move, Mia. Angel fluttered around and cast a healing spell. Meanwhile, I staggered over to the window they''d broken and reached out a hand to stroke Calamity''s face. Mia looked up at the sight of me caressing the vicious-looking dragon. "Calamity is my mate, "No, I am a servant of the Lord. "Ha-ha, yeah. . so you don''t have to be the enemy. "......, with such a huge dragon in tow? A stunned Mia . "More importantly, ...... your outfit looks a bit ragged. "Ha!I''m sorry, too. Ugh ...... I''ve done it again ...... Again? What does that mean?and looks at Mia with a face like, "I''m sorry. Noticing her gaze, Mia looks apologetically downcast, "As you can see, Alec-sama, I''ve been working on (). As you may have guessed, I was making that earlier (), Yeah, I know. I ...... am the ''blood'' of the family, so I have to look good, but if I''m not careful ...... You can''t help but move your body. "Yes ...... "And the cake, too. "Oh, that one!...... because it looks so good: ...... Poof, look up, but Mia''s rebuttal fades into the background. You will be able to see the beautiful Mia when she''s cleaned up in Inheritance of Blood, but she looks lovely now, too. I have to look good. I can put up with it a bit more when I''m wearing a dress. ...... I see that''s why you came all the way down here to change your clothes and follow me. "Yeah ...... but also ...... Mia drops her gaze and looks at her outfit. She looks at it and is disheartened. "I tore it to shreds. ...... "Hmm ......, I''ll get you a dress then. "What?I mean, that''s bad. "Wait a minute. I said and jumped out of the window torn by flying magic, leaving Mia and Angier and the others behind. . About 10 minutes later, I came back and there was a white dress in my hand. A princess dress with a white background. I handed it to Mia, who was still in a daze, unable to swallow the situation. Here you go. Probably a dress that goes with Mia''s image of beauty. Thank you ...... really beautiful ...... It took me a little while to make a dress that would match Mia''s beauty. Did you make one? Yes, now that I''m here, try it on. Angel, help him. "Yes!Mia, let''s go! "Huh?Um, wait a minute--Ha! Angier showed his innocence and pulled a bewildered Mia with her dress. Sitting back down on the couch, he magically fixed the window and waited for them. A moment later. Oh, ...... When Mia came back, I let out an exclamation. How do you think? Dressed up, Mia was back in the tucked-in mode. Blood Inheritance, the numbness, and a dress made to look its best. With the positive effect tripled, Mia looked beautiful. Isn''t she beautiful, Master Alec? Yes, do you think so too, Angel? "Yes!Hawaha ...... Ange, with his hands on his face, exhales. She is so beautiful that even Angier, a homos*xual, could see it. Mia bowed quietly to me as if she had been born a princess. Thank you, Master Alec. I will take good care of this dress. I will never stain it or tear it. It was Mia''s resolution. A statement of determination, in the dual sense of taking care of her clothes and being properly ladylike. Oh, that''s okay. "Huh? It''s made to not get dirty or torn. "...... huh? Mia rolls her eyes, making a face that says she doesn''t know what she''s talking about. I walked up to her with my teacup and stained her dress with the tea. I reached out and tore the hem with a little snap. "Huh!What are you going to do, Mr. Alec? Watch. Immediately after I said that, a change occurred in the dress. The tea stains and tears came back to normal. It was just as if nothing had happened. What is this? "Self-repair . That''s how I used it. If you have a piece of ash left, it will repair itself, so if you want to move, if you have to move, feel free to do so. "Even a piece of ash? Yeah. Don''t move. I closed my eyes tightly and then cast a fire spell on Mia. It would burn the dress until it was almost to ashes. With my eyes closed, I waited a moment. Wow!Really got the dress back together. "From nothing to completely ...... awesome ...... Mia and Angel, after hearing their reactions, opened their eyes. Angier was smiling and had a "wow" look on his face. Mia was still taken aback by the "amazing ......". 49 08. The Good Man Re-enacts the Legendary Boundary I took Mia on a tour of the countryside in the territory. Accompanying may be a bit of a misnomer. When I said I was going out to tour the territory, Mia insisted on following me. "Master Alec''s ...... "What? Every village has a statue of the god Alec: ...... "A stone statue, not a god statue. I chuckle, correcting him softly. Mia was right, everywhere I''ve visited in the farming communities I''ve visited, there''s a set of my statue and Astaroth''s statue. And in each one, I am the main one and Astaroth is the sub. She is my simobe. Astaroth''s blessing, his guiding light, is the statue and the stone statue. At first I was only in one place, but when I was there, rumor spread that the goddess Astaroth was willing to give more blessings, and my statue was everywhere. And it''s getting more and more extreme. Yes, some of them are extreme. The way Astaroth is pushing me, I think it''s too much. But the guy there seemed to have the best wings. "Well, ...... hey ...... That''s how I felt, too. It''s been about a year since people started talking about how my statue would be better with a stone statue of me, and even then, it''s a clear feather in the cap - enough to make a difference in the residents'' income. This fact will also spread. Will they become more and more extreme in the future? "Kicking a goddess in the leg or stepping on the back of her kneeling head. I think you''re going to be angry about that. ...... angry, right? Or rather, get mad at me, Astaroth. I don''t want to be angry if it leads to a good harvest. Mia and I have circled our village and inspected every field that was sure to produce a good harvest. It''s time to go home. "I''ll join you. Let''s go to town and get something sweet to eat. Juli--Ha. I''ll go with you! The moment you hear about the sweet treats, Mia, who was in ladylike mode in a princess dress, drooled and hurriedly wiped it away. Haha, let''s go then. On the outskirts of the village where the visit ended, I reached out to Mia to take with me to use instantaneous travel magic. Thump, thump, thump. ....... The sound of rude footsteps approached. The next thing I knew, we were surrounded by wild footsteps. As far as the eye can see--there are roughly a hundred of them. They''re not proper looking, and they''re holding weapons, not farming tools, in their hands. It''s like you wanted to talk to me ...... The men stared at me with a hateful stare. What do you look like, not just a bandit or something? "Ha, don''t know. It''s true, they don''t know anything about us. The men were talking wildly and insinuating. They kept on glaring at me, like they were laughing at me but not at me, like they were laughing at my face but not at my eyes. We are the survivors of a rebel group that you interrupted and lost. "How dare you interrupt me, kid! "I''ll take you down to three pieces and feed you to the pigs. They hurl their hatred at me, mouth to mouth. I see...the remnants of that rebel group. I''m sure I''ve given you instructions on how to clean up the mess, but I see that some of them have escaped. It''s just a stroke of luck that you came all the way out here to this remote place by yourself. "Vice-Emperor, Commander-in-Chief. It doesn''t matter now. You''re just a kid in here. More poisonous men. I looked at the men for a long time and quietly asked, "Which of the second to sixth strongholds are these men? Any of the men in the second through sixth forts? "Now you just know, Mr. Alec. "Yes. Nodded back at a curious Mia. In the defeat of the rebels, I actually went to forts one and seven. The seventh fort was blown apart with colorless beams and spotted shadow warriors, and even the first fort had me at the center. The generals at these two forts know that I''m not just a child as I look. By a process of elimination, it''s pretty clear it''s the other five. I don''t care which one. Kill the kid, take the girl. "Heh, that''s a nice girl. We''ll all get a good look at her later. All at once, the men drew their weapons and attacked us. "-GH! The enemy attacked, Mia immediately went into a state of readiness for battle and worked on the weapon that she had hidden under her dress. It''s okay, you don''t have to do anything. "Huh?But-- The moment I sat down, Mia looked up at me and looked puzzled. Taking advantage of the moment, some of them reached for Mia. I reached out to catch it, but. "Oh, that? "We can''t get any closer. ...... "Is there an invisible wall? Surprised and confused men. They are refused to get within a meter of Mia and can''t get any closer to her. It''s not that they won''t attack her, it''s that they can''t get close enough. "What are you playing at? One of the men scolded the cowardly figure of his friends. Meanwhile, Mia asks me. What have you done, Master Alec? "Yeah, the application of plough warding "Huh? "Just like that. You have to attack from the youngest to the oldest. We''re limited to seven players () on our own, though. This time there are two of us, me first and Mia second. As long as I''m around, Mia is invincible and can''t be touched. "Eh, ...... "What ......, huh? Mia and the men who attacked us were all appalled. The plough''s wards are familiar to everyone here. Mia and the men, formerly with the Seven Forts rebels, know it''s invincibility well. I don''t know the story, but I''m sure there were more than a few people who joined the rebels because of it. When they heard that--that or something like it was used by me, they were all at a loss for words. "It was used by a human? "Don''t panic!Then all you have to do is kill the kid first! When the man yelled in a lame voice, the others, who had been stunned, came to their senses in unison. They all have a "yes, that''s right" look on their faces. Yeah, that''s right. The plow wards, there is only one way to get at them. The plow wards, in order of descending number--in this case, from me. No doubt about it. But. Huh! The magic ball of fire melted the man''s sword as he attacked and slashed at me. The iron sword melted down like hot butter and was sucked into the ground, disappearing without a trace. The momentum melted all the men''s weapons around them. ...... Huh? Astonished men, their heads are still not up to speed with the situation. Even if you get away, it''s just too much trouble from here on out. I took out fist-sized magic spheres for several of them and sent them all flying at once, bouncing around me. A hundred or so civilians, fallen rogues. I didn''t even have to explain, and in no time at all I had them all crisply defeated and wiped out. 50 09. Good men eradicate the buds of rebellion I put the magic cuffs on all the remnants of the rebels I had defeated. I made sure they were all securely fastened, and then I spoke to them as they sat on the ground, nodding off. These are magic cuffs, nothing wrong with them in everyday life, but they will react and constrict you if you commit a crime or something. ""......" No reaction, some of them looked up and glanced at me, but their eyes were cold. But I continued. "I''ve set the period at three years. If you don''t do anything bad during that time, this thing is supposed to go away on its own. ...... kill it. One of the remnants, cross-legged, glared up at me. It was as if fire was about to burst from his eyes, eyes filled with resentment. No, live well. "Don''t be selfish!This is what happens when you can''t eat!And now you want to live! "The problem is that you just can''t eat? I asked the man and simultaneously looked around at the other remnants. Most of them are staring at me as if to say, "Oh yeah. "So if I could eat, would you not do this anymore? "Ha!How can you believe what the nobles say? You think of us as your helpers. "It''s the aristocracy that squanders our hard-earned money on their own hobbies. The men''s frustration exploded. Compared to the high tension before the battle began, this one sounds more raw and heartfelt, a cry from the heart. Okay, I close my eyes and use my magic. A magic circle spreads from beneath my feet and envelops me and Mia and the men. The next moment, a floating sensation envelops my body. With a momentary spell of movement, I fly with them all. First you fall toward the sky (,) and when you reach the top, you now fall toward your destination. Whoa! "What''s this? Help! Arrive at your destination amidst screams and echoes. After a smooth landing. "Dear Alec, where am I? Mia was the first to ask me as if nothing had happened. When I opened my eyes, I saw Mia in her princess dress standing unconcerned while the other men were hunched over and slumped over. ''''This is Carlisle territory up here, where few people live,'''' Answer Mia, then turn to the men again. "We''ll let you guys have this land. We can cultivate it here and make sure we eat well. When I told this, the huddled masses, the abandoned masses. The men regained their vigor and lashes out at me. "Don''t be so easy. "Yeah, yeah, you can''t just have land. "Aristocrats don''t know it, but tools and seeds cost a lot of money. I''ll provide that for the first year. The men scowled for a moment, but then quickly raised their voices again. "You''re not fooling us. You''re just going to make us work and rip off the taxpayers. "If you can''t pay your taxes, you''ll go into debt and keep taking interest afterwards. I know how the aristocrats do it. You must have had a bad experience in the ...... north. I think I understand why the rebellion happened after all this time. People whose handcuffs don''t work will be tax-free. ""What?" The men stared blankly. Now there was a much longer silence. They all saw the magic cuffs--magical handcuffs--on themselves. The cuffs do not work unless you commit a crime, and they last three years. Tax-free as long as the handcuffs aren''t activated means you''re tax-free for three years if you''re legitimate. In fact, I emphasized explicitly that it did. My mind is reeling, I realize, and I give it another push. If the handcuffs have been inactive for three years, you can keep the land you leased today. But if you commit another crime after that, you''ll lose the land. Everyone is buzzing. When you give unilaterally, people become paranoid, but when there are constraints, they are more easily convinced than you think. If you don''t commit any crimes for three years, I will give you the land I reclaimed - it''s ingrained in their minds. Finally, I''ll give you a no-no. I''ll use my magic to make a lot of rope. They''re just ropes, but each one is several hundred meters long. Why a rope?They wondered. "By the end of the day, the land around this rope will be your land. " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " At that moment, everyone''s eyes changed color. It was another one of those restrictions, and one that produces a visible and immediate effect. That''s when it clicked, and the men rushed to the rope, took it, and ran to surround the land. I watched as they all ran to secure the land. "Astaroth In response to my call, the ground behind me flashed and Astaroth was summoned. "Whoa! Even a surprised Mia puts aside for the moment and says to Astaroth, "I have a favor to ask you. I have a favor to ask you. "At your service, my Lord. "Whoever didn''t activate the handcuffs for three years should have a confirmed good harvest. "Who''s activated? Reduce ...... no, make it distinctly unprofitable. "Yes, sir. Astaroth, goddess of fertility, with her blessing, a good or bad harvest is at your disposal. With the combination of Astaroth and Magic Cuffs, maybe 99% of people will work diligently. The remaining 1% may take a look around after the first showing (poor harvest) and change their mind. If not, we''ll think again. So we''ve dealt with the rebel remnants. Now let''s go home-- Huh?What''s the matter with you, Mia? You''re staring at me with such a funny face. Mia looked at me with a pout. After I asked her why, she gave me a complicated look. I wish you could be the ...... emperor. Hmm? "If Alec were the emperor, there would never have been a ...... rebellion. Mia. I wonder if it''s that simple. . Absolutely yes. "I think so too, Shall I be forced to abdicate for the sake of my people? I took Mia back to the villa, and after the introduction, we talked about today. The Alec League members, father, Hossen and Miller, were all smiling very nicely and talking about dangerous things. 51 10. Good men, eradicate revolutions all over the country In Carlisle''s mansion, its garden in the daytime. The onslaught of Horsen and Miller was brewing up a storm. Horsen is twirling his beloved weapon, a large sword three times his height, and Miller is flinging his sharp claws about. The man they are about to attack is Mia Vera. Dressed in a princess dress, Mia stands neatly clad in a figure that for all intents and purposes looks like a princess. The onslaught of imperial two-top warriors, however, can''t reach Mia. An invisible wall a meter high prevents every attack. A raging storm rages, but there''s virtually no wind around Mia. "That''s great, Master Alec. The two of you aren''t firing as well as you could be. "Yes. But it''s a strange sight. It''s so quiet in spite of all the aggression, it makes me feel like I can get close enough. No wonder Angel is watching the game with me. The petit plough wards. The petit plow wards on Mia make no sound of slashes or blows from the attacks they prevent. She''s right. It''s as quiet as can be. Don''t get too close. Immediately after a bell-rolling voice, a chair is thrown toward the center of the battle. Tossed parabolically between Mia and Two-Top, the garden chair is instantly shattered by the onslaught of Hossen and Miller. It''s a ferocious attack that leaves no trace, literally not a speck of dust. Here. Eliza, you''re here. Yes. Turning around, today there was Eliza in civilian clothes. "Your Majesty--not--I mean. Sister! With a happy look on her face, Angel ran up to Elisa. As Eliza''s reward, Angier is now her sister-in-law, the imperial princess. It''s essentially akin to a political marriage, a "political sister" if you will, but they hit it off and call each other "big sister" and "Angel" in their private lives, and they get along great. They joke around in the garden of a mansion. Meanwhile, Hossen and Miller''s test of the petit plow has come to an end. "Holy shit, brother-in-law, me and old man Miller couldn''t do anything about it even if we tried our best. Bowles always amazes me. After the test was over, Hossen and Miller were both smiling and laughing around the garten table set that I had had the maids set up in the garden. Me, Eliza, Angel, Hossen, and Miller sat in the chairs, but Mia insisted on standing. Dressed in a princess dress, she stood like a servant at my side. The scene is quite surreal. Hey, my brother-in-law. I was glancing at Mia when Hossen asked, "What about that warding? Can you make that ward without my brother-in-law? "Without me? The question is, can you put someone other than your brother-in-law first, for example? "It is of course-- I was about to say, "You can do it," but. "Silly you, you''d use it in a small group of seven. Who else deserves to be number one than Bowes?It''s not about what you can or can''t do, it''s about what you can''t do. That''s right! When Miller said that, Hossen and Miller laughed together, "Ha ha ha ha ha! The wards can affect up to seven people, including Alec. "Yes. It''s so picturesque. "Oh, I think so! If it''s going to be a painting, it should have a name. "The Plough''s Warding, the Seven Star Formation, after the name of the main book, maybe? "That''s shit. Maybe it''s because it''s a private occasion, or maybe it''s just that kind of personality and doesn''t care at all. Hossen has kicked off her idea of Eliza, the emperor. Even Eliza''s lips twitched at this. But the way she showed her displeasure was that of a girl of her age. "Why not. Why not? That''s right, the seven-star formation would be a good fit, but it doesn''t have a brother-in-law element to it, which sucks. "d*mn, it''s undeniable. No, I think I can. You can do it, can''t you, Eliza? I mean, is ...... even Eliza a part of that faction ()? "Well, how about ...... how about the Vice Emperor and the Six Apostles I recommend 10 million and a six-man army group. Eliza, Hossen and Miller . At the naming of the petit plow, the three of them are so excited that they are about to say something like "Alec and his merry band". I''m embarrassed to say anything, but I''m at peace with it. When the conversation about the petit plough wards had died down, Eliza turned to me in a very serious tone. "It''s all taken care of, Rebellion. With the cleanup. That''s right. "Yes. Mostly thanks to you. Thank you, Alec. You''re welcome. I''m glad I could help Eliza. "...... Eliza blushed for some reason. She glanced up at the sky. I wonder if I caught the sun. The sun wasn''t good for the girls, and I was about to suggest that we go inside the house. "Mm. "Ho, you''re a guest. Horsen and Miller, the two fierce generals, reacted almost simultaneously. All at once, they turned their gaze toward the entrance of the mansion, toward the fence-shaped door. Just outside the grounds, a man is there. He''s dressed like a traveler, but I wonder if he''s ....... I''ll take a look. "No, not Mia. I''ll get it. Why?I''m sure you''ll be able to find the right one for you. It''s not just a matter of how you look like a princess, it''s also a matter of how you look like a princess. Regardless of what''s in it, Mia, who inherited the beauty of 100% Blood Inheritance purity and acted accordingly in a princess dress, is the very princess of the Tilt Country. That''s why I stood up and decided to go myself. I''m coming with you. Eliza offered to accompany me and I nodded. It''s surreal to have a real emperor instead of a fake princess. I approached the door with Eliza and asked the traveler man. Do you want to stay with us? "Vice-Emperor ...... Is Mr. Alexander there? "I am, "Ah!Good, I knew this was the right place for the Vice-Emperor''s residence. Apparently, it is the first time a visitor. While opening the door and inviting him into the premises, you observe him stealthily. He is dressed like a traveler, but his outfit is also tattered, his face is sweaty and covered in dust. You can clearly see that he has come in quite a hurry from afar. What do you want to see me about? In the east - there''s going to be a rebellion in our hometown. "------! Eliza jolted next to me. She''s the emperor, and she just quelled the rebellion in the north, so it''s only natural that she would react violently to this story. You gently take her hand in yours and ask the man, "Is this true? Is that true? It''s true, there are people who secretly instigate it. Not a few villages have fallen for it. That''s right. ...... "Please, Mr. Alexander!Vice-Emperor!Please help us. "Help? Come to think of it, I didn''t hear the man''s position. "Are you asking me to join the rebels? Eliza jolted again. You put a little more pressure on your hand, implying that you''re not going to do that. It''s not!Of course our life isn''t easy, but it''s better to honestly ask the Vice-Emperor for help than to get involved in a rebellion.... I heard about the Vice-Emperor. Please!Please! Well, you mean. Help me out, you mean...stop the rebellion. That''s what you do, brother-in-law, you don''t put down the rebellion, you prevent it. Kaaka, that''s a little different. I don''t prevent it, I''m asked to prevent it. "Sure!That''s my brother-in-law. That''s unheard of, blah blah blah blah. Hossen and Miller came near before I knew it, and they were in a very good mood when they said that. But another rebellion, it''s complicated, considering Eliza''s position. I mean, it really is very complicated! Eliza''s face is half difficult, half proud. Your facial muscles are so dexterous!I''m not going to tell you what to do, but I''m going to tell you what to do. I mean, what kind of emotions do you have on your face? "How about it!Please. A man comes to me for help and bows his head desperately to Eliza, who looks very complicated. The rebellion, the desperation to avoid war, was enough to motivate me. Okay, I''ll take care of it. "Thank you! * Thus, I went out and crushed them in the bud before the rebellion began. The parties were in the "sneaking it in" stage, so I was able to stop them easily. The rebellion in the north, and the attempted rebellion in the east. After these two incidents, it became known that the Vice Emperor Alexander would always travel to the rebellion and that life would be better if he was reverent or informed in advance. It became known that reverence, or even advance notice, would rather make life better than before. Massive rebellions involving the people in the empire had stopped altogether since then. 52 01. The Good Man Unseals the Seal Carlisle''s mansion garden, a clear afternoon. In part of the garden, there was a huge rock with a mountain motif. It is just 1/1000th of the height of Mount Morrison, the tallest mountain in the empire, built at 9 meters, and you get a bit of exercise just by climbing the "mountain path" that was made. Such a huge rock was in the garden of the mansion (,,). All that was left in front of me was a shattered piece of rock. The rock was nine meters high and now it was crushed to dust. "I tried it, but this power is too dangerous ....... Let''s keep it under wraps for a while. I thought maybe I''d try it and I was half happy that I hit the jackpot, and half annoyed that it was almost the first time I''d ever done it and it was out of control. Let''s take our time getting used to a power that''s too powerful, I decided. "Dear Alec. "Hmm?Mia? When I turned around, I saw Mia in her princess dress. Mia Beulah, the "Blood Inheritance", the millennial beauty of the Nature Clan, was still beautiful today, exuding an aura of nobility. She looked curiously at the crumbling rock. "Did Master Alec do this? Yes, a little test. There is nothing but amazement: ...... Thank you. Call me surprised, but Mia didn''t break her "classy" ways. Knowing she had another face, I wanted to break it. "Mia, you got a minute to spare? "I would do anything for Master Alec. So, come along for the ride. "Yes. * Hmmm... We went into town, inside the cafe terrace. Mia had a very happy face and was munching on a piece of cake. She was holding a fork in one hand and putting her hand on her cheek with a look of bliss. Mmmmmmmmmm. "What''s wrong Mia, smile so much. "Oh, I''m sorry, Mr. Alec!Its ...... too good to be true. "Too delicious? "Yes, it''s too good to be ......, well, I don''t know what to say. That''s why I only smile. "Yes ...... Then eat mine. I also offered her my share of cake that we ordered together. "Oh no!That''s for Master Alec, isn''t it? "Mia, slobbery "--Ha! Pointed out, Mia hurriedly wiped the drool off her face. Satisfied to see her other face, which was clearing at the dress, I offered her more cake. Mia reluctantly, but happily, accepted my portion and began to chew on it. There you are, Alec. "That voice is Eli ...... the? You look up, it''s definitely Eliza, but it''s the first time you''ve seen her. She is not dressed in civilian clothes for going out in secret, but in a noble dress like a princess would wear. Although there is a lot of skin exposed, it''s a miraculous balance, giving an air of nobility without being obnoxious. Maybe it''s just my imagination, or maybe it''s a good contrast with Mia''s. The surroundings are buzzing. Passersby stop in front of the cafe terrace and stare at you from afar. You''re amazing, Alec-sama, with two such beautiful people. I wonder if they are both princesses somewhere. "Wow, I''m so jealous! Originally glimpsed, it was brought to more attention with the advent of Eliza. Pull yourself together and ask Eliza. I''ve never seen you dressed like that before. I''ve never seen you dressed like that before. ...... What''s going on? "Hey, can''t I wear a dress like this without something? Eliza blushed and said, "Is it embarrassing, maybe so. I wonder if she''s embarrassed, maybe she is. Eliza always wears only an imperial uniform for sitting on the throne, or plain clothes like a town girl. I think she''s embarrassed because she doesn''t usually dress like that. In order not to embarrass her any more, I thought I should be proud of her. You look good, Eliza. "Eh. "This is the most beautiful Eliza I''ve ever seen. "...... . It''s natural. Eliza said and turned her face away, but she didn''t seem to be in the least bit upset, and she no longer had the shy look she had earlier. That''s it. With that thought, I pulled out a chair. "Would you like to sit with me? Yes, I will. Eliza walked out with a gesture as elegant as Mia''s and came toward the chair I pulled out - but... Pattern! Eliza, who stepped on the hem of her dress, fell forward in a heap. The hem of her dress flipped up, revealing her neat and luxurious underwear. She jumped up like a bullet and stared at me with teary eyes. Did you see that? "I''m sorry, I was so nervous that I looked away. I''m a newborn child of about ten years old now, but I''m an old man inside of me because I carry over my memories from before I was born again. The underwear of a beautiful girl as beautiful as Eliza was revealed in a tragic accident. It''s hard to keep my heart from pounding. "Mmm-hmm. Eliza sniffed. I don''t mind being seen. "Huh? I have a maid to change your clothes and stuff, and it doesn''t matter if a retainer sees your underwear. I wondered if that was the theory: ......, but I decided to let it pass because if I went into this matter any further, I wouldn''t be able to stand up or be forced to bend forward either. Wordlessly, I pulled the chair back again and prompted Eliza. She carefully sat down in the chair, this time without falling, while lifting the hem of her dress. Surrounded by Eliza and Mia, the two in their dresses, she was once again feeling a little happy. Thud, thud, thud. We heard heavy footsteps, and men came in and surrounded us. There were fifty of them, a little "gang" of them. There were onlookers and customers in the store. The people were driven out, and the whole area was just the men and us. Who are you people? I want that woman. A man who looked like the leader of the men pointed at Eliza with a vulgar smile. "For her?Why "Don''t play dumb, I know that''s the Emperor Elisabeth. Eliza''s face changed beside me. "We also know that the emperor often sneaks over to see you, the vice emperor, on a frequent basis. You dressed up differently because you thought you had gotten to know us. The man says with a smug look on his face, Eliza says, "What? And a small leak. Apparently, it wasn''t for the sake of deception. "It''s a waste of time. It''s useless. You get your emperor''s piece and you can go to ....... I stood up. "Mr. Alec, "It''s okay. Mia tried to stand up, too, to protect me, but she held out her hand to stop me. I''ll take care of it. Eliza is good. That''s right. You have to take care of me. "Yeah, I do. Then I stepped forward and faced the man. The man looked down at me with cold eyes, and I, still a child, naturally looked up at him. "I can still let you off the hook now. "Haha, there''s no way I''m going to pull this off. They''re going to kidnap the emperor, and I''m not halfway there. Okay, well, it''s just the way it is. You''re going to have to hurt me lightly. I released my magic and created a magic ball for the attack--. Huh? The magic ball was not made . No, the magic itself is not available? I tried to use a simpler magic instead of a magic sphere, but it doesn''t work. Ha! The man looked proud and snickered. I told you, I have it all figured out. Vice-Emperor Alexander, I hear you''re quite a wizard for your age. "...... That''s why I rigged it. A warding that would disable magic within a few dozen meters around here. "I got something like that for you. "Yeah. I''m telling you, there''s no way to get around it. There''s no way you can do magic inside these wards, even if they''re gods. You can''t even break them by force. "...... I tried to invoke more magic. The man was right. I''m a powerful SSS-ranked magician, the equivalent of a god, but I can''t use any magic. It seems that the magic is completely blocked, just as the other side declared. "Alec? "Dear Alec! It''s okay. He turns to Eliza and Mia, who are impatient, and smiles at them. "You''re just a kid with your magic locked up, don''t get carried away! I guess my margin of appreciation (,) was off-putting. The man pulled out his long sword between his legs and slashed at me. Their goal is to steal Eliza, and they don''t seem to care if I''m alive or dead. A slash with obvious murderous intent, a cutting edge flying through the air. I''m going to take it-- I grabbed it. "Go to ......? I put all my strength into my grip and snapped it off. With the broken sword in my hand, I punched it lightly. The tip I struck after breaking it, though the material was iron, shattered. Just like the rocks in the house. What''s this? I thought I had the magic locked up! "Yeah, that''s an amazing ward. It''s not completely magical. "Well, then-- I''ve never said it was only magic. "............ The man was fuming. So were his men. "Sorry to be the first to apologize, He stepped in and lightly patted the man on the side. He whirled around and spun around three times in the air before plunging to the ground. I''m not ready to go easy on you. The next moment, the sound of blows echoes around the area. Unfamiliar blows, simple bodywork in close combat. Gradually, you began to gain control over it halfway through. You have killed 50 kidnappers of the emperor in just three minutes, all in the blink of an eye. 53 02. Good people, still growing The plotter of Eliza''s kidnapping decides to throw her into the city''s jail first. At first I thought I''d put on the magic cuffs as usual and release her in the hope that she would reform. "They wanted the emperor, so I''m not afraid of the death penalty. I don''t know if that''s a strong statement or not. I don''t know if that''s bullshit or not, but if they really aren''t afraid of death, releasing them while wearing the Magic Cuffs doesn''t make sense, it doesn''t solve anything. So I''ve decided to restrain them and lock them up for now. After watching the kidnappers being taken away after being torn apart by physical techniques, I turned to Eliza and Mia, both in their dresses and in the wild. I see them in their dresses and a group of onlookers. They both stand out like crazy. I don''t know what we''re going to do at this point, but for now-- Let''s go back to the mansion. Okay. I understand. Then I''ll use my teleportation magic. Then they gave a small nod and came to my left and right. I heard the onomatopoeia in my head. Mia hugged me, so that my chest was just pressed against the side of her head at her height. Mmm. Immediately after Eliza moaned softly, she too hugged my head, as if to counteract it. Eliza and Mia, from the left and right, pinned my head between their breasts to sandwich my head. You''re losing on size: ...... Overhead, Eliza murmured something. Eliza, what did you say? "Anything!I told him there''s still a lot of room for growth. When I asked again, for some reason Eliza''s lips twitched and she replied with a slight sulk. I''m not sure why we''re talking about growing up. Yes, Eliza is still young. "You can''t lose to ....... I don''t know what I''m winning or losing. Eliza doesn''t seem to want to talk about it, so she listens and uses instantaneous movement magic with the two of you. It''s a spell that makes you fall into the air and then fall toward your destination. The speed is so fast that Eliza and Mia''s chest is pressed hard against the side of my head. It feels a little smoldering and soft. It smells good. I almost feel a little naughty, but I try to act normal so that they don''t realize it. Fortunately, I''m back at Carlisle''s house in a flash. First Mia pulled away from me, and then Eliza. Eliza, who was acting a little strange earlier, has returned to her normal state. "Hey Alec, that was amazing back there. Have you been practicing? Are you referring to that thing you just did with body art? "Yes. "No, I didn''t. I never really cared about it to begin with. Magic is more convenient. I see. As Eliza agreed, magic is much more useful to me. Partly because of the Philosopher''s Stone and partly because of the SSS rank of magic. I can do almost anything I set my mind to do with magic. I''ve felt that convenience since I was reborn, so I never thought of doing something with pure physical strength. I just had an idea for that earlier, and I was trying it out. Then I walk away. I''ll be accompanied by two people who naturally follow me to the rocks I''ve just pulverized. The rocks are still shattered and uncluttered. "Yeah, that''s what Alec did. Yes, on the non-magical side. Saying that, he cast a spell on the rock scrap and returned it to its original form, a nine-meter-high pile of rocks. Then he struck it helplessly. Thanks to the gradual acclimation to the physical assault, in about half the time of the first strike, the huge rock was shattered again. With his bare hands he flattened a small mountain. "Oh, ...... Mia exclaimed, looking impressed. ''Huh?You saw Mia earlier, right? No, I only saw it after it was destroyed. I''ve never seen the process shattered by such a tremendous attack. I see. "...... What''s wrong with you, Eliza, you can''t stare at that rock or anything. Alec, you just put this back together. With magic. "Yes. "Will you try again? "......?I get it. I don''t know why you would ask me to do that, but it''s just as well because the rocks were originally part of the garden landscape and I was going to put them back at the end. Cast a spell and repair the shattered rock. The shattered rock reverted back to a giant rock, a miniature Mount Morrison, like an image played in reverse. I stared at it--no. Eliza, who stared at me as I did it, nodded with a satisfied look on her face. Yeah, I was right. What do you mean "still"? "Alec, your magic is getting stronger. "Huh? The words I didn''t expect to hear stopped me in my tracks for a moment. I don''t think that''s true." ...... No, it''s definitely getting stronger. "I wonder. "I''m sure it''s because I say so: ...... I''ve been looking at it all week. I couldn''t hear the last part because he was grumbling and pretty much whispering, but the confidence of the first half came through. You should try it if you want. "If you say so, I''ll give it a try. I called the servants and had them bring the gold to me. There is far more gold in front of me than the first time I tested my magic. There are many ways to check the amount of magic, but with my magic, it''s too powerful to be measured without the gold. So I had the gold ready. It was brought to me, and I held my hand over it to release my magic. Instantly, the gold disappeared without a trace. The amount of gold that was impossible to make before is now easily made. It''s true: ...... is up. ...... Why? What are you talking about?That''s a given. "Huh? She turns to Eliza. She crosses her arms - a gesture that oddly emphasizes her breasts - and half-heartedly says, "Alec, you told me I was still young. "Alec, you told me I was still young, "Huh?Yeah, I guess so. "Alec is even younger, or at least younger. You''re still growing by all accounts. "More than this! "...... Oh! To Mia''s horror, I clapped my hands together with a normal, convincing smile. Come to think of it, yes. It''s easy to forget that I''m only ten years old when I''m reincarnated. In the other world, I wished to be reincarnated as a human. A human and a ten-year-old. Then my physical and magical powers would be better and better. Then my strength and witchcraft would be sure to grow up more and more in the future. 54 03. A good man slashes things with a blow The garden of the Carlisle mansion. I am standing in front of a large rock with a Morrison motif. I carry my first good longsword at my waist. If you can use it, you might as well learn to use this one. So I thought I would learn the basics first. Ask the wise man''s stone, which I carry around with me, for tips on slashing and swordplay. Simulate it all in your mind, and when you are confident that your body can definitely do the job. Take a deep breath and put your hand on the hilt of your sword. Pull out your sword! A long sword running in a sheath, sparks flying. A slash through the air beyond the speed of sound. Oiwa was ...... nothing. ...... Aha! After a moment''s hesitation, I looked at the longsword and realized why. There was almost no blade left on the tip of the sword''s brim. I was so enthusiastic about my first slash that I put so much energy into it that I couldn''t help but put some magic power into it, and the blade was blown away. Probably it was gone right after I pulled it out. It''s no wonder Oiwa wasn''t able to cut through. The orichalcone ...... or do you need more metal than that? Your father''s orichalcohnsword reminds me of the legendary metal that is now Eliza''s accessory. You''ll need more metal than that if you''re going to wield it with all your might. Sighing, I returned the remaining longsword to its scabbard. "Hey, there you are, brother-in-law! I turned around at the voice and saw Hossen coming towards me from the house. Hossen is walking briskly with his usual dynamic and happy smile, and he''s trudging along with his big gait. I''ve come to visit you as usual - but it''s not like that. He had a young man behind him. A young man with a beautiful face. His face exudes an aura and confidence in his life. Hi, what''s up today? Oh, I''m just throwing this guy around for a reason. Great, I''m going to introduce you to my brother-in-law. This is Corro. He''s a recent hire for me. It''s a pleasure to meet you, my name is Coro Ruizen. Alexander Carlyle, nice to meet you. "I''ve heard great things about you, sir. Coro looks at me, so good. Observation?I''m not sure what I''m doing here. This is like, "You''re interested in me. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Has my brother-in-law taken up the sword? Horsen found the longsword hanging between my legs. Yeah, I was just practicing. Oh, that''s good. I want to see my brother-in-law use a sword. I bet it''s awesome. I''ve never used a sword before. Oh, it doesn''t matter. If my brother-in-law used a sword - you know, that rock over there, it would just about split in half. "You''re lifting too much. No way. No, it''s just a rock, and I''m not good at it, and I''m sure I''ll be able to clear that mountain over there in one shot. Open or broken mountains, that''s a story that only appears in the mythical creation. Oh, my brother-in-law can do it. Horsen then looked up to the heavens and laughed with dismay. One of the members of the Alec League. I''ve gotten used to him lifting me up. "I didn''t know the Vice-Emperor was good with a sword. Not really. "I hear His Royal Highness is not only an honorary principal of the school of magic, but actually teaches classes as well. Occasionally. "I have heard from Master Hossen about your brilliance. His swordsmanship is also very good. I would appreciate it if you could teach me a move. "You ask me to give you pointers or ......... "Here we go. Coro no questions asked!And then he pulled out his sword and slashed at me. I swung my hand out of the air. The counter punch--. Coro!Get out of the way! Hossen shouted from behind. Horsen is aware, but Coro is unresponsive. Of course it''s not going to hurt him. Pow!and Koro''s sword broke off in half. I''ll just break my sword and settle the matter. The sword snapped off and he stared blankly at his own sword. The place where it was broken has a clean cut. After a moment, he came to himself. "I am sorry to see you, Your Highness. As expected of the Vice-Emperor, your slash is sharper than I''ve heard. No, not a slash, but a blow. Go to ......? A scowling corro. I drew my longsword from between my legs. When I drew my longsword on the rock, I accidentally put some magic into it and it melted the blade. "It was a mistake, and my sword is in this condition, so I couldn''t use the slash--that''s it. The remaining hilt was swung out with his back fist. The sharp back fist he swung, the hilt snapped with it, and the speed of the hilt was too great to make a sharp cut. I just hit you. "...... Corro to be piqued. On the other hand-- "Mmmm!That''s my brother-in-law!Now I can only do that once in ten. My brother-in-law is amazing for being able to do it so easily! And Hossen, as usual, did his best to praise me. 55 The Good Man Releases the Sword Koro was pissed off and didn''t come back anytime soon. Horsen spoke to me, leaving the indulgence of the men he brought in as if it were a matter of course. Your brother-in-law needs a proper weapon. Yes, I''d like to have a little one. "Either the legendary white sword ...... or the black sword, which suits my brother-in-law. It was the first time I''d ever heard the word. I asked the Philosopher''s Stone, which I always carry around with me, and it seemed to be the two weapons known as the Sacred Sword and Magic Sword. It''s a legendary weapon, but it certainly seems to be able to withstand this power. "It''s not so easy to find, is it? I grimaced and grabbed Koro''s broken sword. I grabbed the spot where I had cut () with a blow and squeezed it tightly, applying pressure. "How could this happen? "Oh, no, father! Suddenly your father appeared from behind. He''s smiling with an exultant look on his face. What do you mean, father, I didn''t know if this would happen? "Hmm, I thought my Alec would one day be on top of the world with a sword. "You are skipping too much, aren''t you usually waking up to the sword ......? That''s right, Alec''s sword will awaken. "No, it means a lot differently, father. No, that''s not it, my brother-in-law was originally in an enlightened state. "That''s right!That''s why we don''t call it awakening, we call it being on top of the world. I see, that''s one for you. Father and Hossen, they laughed at each other, "Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. You''re still the same: ....... Father, how is this possible? Oh, yes. Hmm, I picked up the holy sword again because I thought of Alec''s rise to the top of the world. "Yeah! You''re in. That''s the Carlyle family for you. No, this is a love for Alec. That makes sense! No, don''t convince me. I mean, it doesn''t go anywhere. "Father, what''s with the holy sword? "Mm, that''s it! As my father raised his hand, several servants came from behind to push a cart. On top of the cart is a sword that is carefully placed. The air the sword wears ...... is so extraordinary! This is the holy sword? That''s funny. Horsen seems to have noticed. That''s the greatest warrior in the Empire. Have you tried it out? No, I couldn''t shake it. "How? The holy sword chooses its owner, and I couldn''t even lift it. Try it, Hosen. "Oh. Horsen put his hand on the hilt of the holy sword. "Nnnnnnnnnn! AAAAAHHH! Hossen''s face turned red and he put so much effort into it that he felt as if he was going to cut the blood vessels in his head. But the sword didn''t budge. It''s not like he''s deliberately trying not to lift it. As proof, Hossen''s foot dug into the ground with a click. "Ha, ha, ha ...... no, no, no, I don''t think I can do this. You''re only human. "It''s no big deal, Again, a chorus of "ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha". Then they both looked at me at the same time. "Come on, Alec. "Go ahead, brother-in-law. "How can you be so confident--what? Surprised, massively surprised, almost to death at the untimely outcome. The holy sword was lifted with a flourish. It lifted so effortlessly it was like lifting chopsticks. This is ...... "Mm, that''s great, Alec. I knew he was my brother-in-law. Putting aside their excitement for the moment, he asked the Philosopher''s Stone if this sword was really the holy sword of legend. Is this really the legendary holy sword? The stone answered. It is definitely the legendary holy sword of the human world. All these stories flowed through my mind at once. These traces of the holy sword were also the history of heroes. ...... Oops, I got a little carried away. Come on, Alec, shake it up. "...... yeah I regrip the hilt of the holy sword. I face the direction of nothing. "Hmm?Why do you look so serious, brother-in-law? Hosen wonders. I giggled and strained. Maybe it takes the full force of ....... I unleash the full force of a force I can''t yet control and draw the holy sword. A quiet slash, a slash that would appear to be just a swipe. Immediately after. The holy sword shattered. It rotted away from the tip and returned to dust. What? "Can''t even the holy sword withstand the power of your brother-in-law? The two people are surprised. Immediately after that. "Thank you. The world is enveloped in light. In the dazzling light, a man''s figure emerges. A divine figure--God. "Thanks to you I am free, I thank you. "Can I go back to heaven now?--God. Out of the holy sword appeared a god. "Do you know who I am? Yes, I made a mistake and was made to become a holy sword as punishment. You can''t return to the heavenly realm until you finish your life as a holy sword. They say you can''t return to heaven until you finish your life. The History of the Holy Sword that the Philosopher''s Stone showed me. The details of its birth were outside the scope of the Philosopher''s Stone''s knowledge, but having actually experienced a reincarnation and knowing Azazel, I could easily deduce the matter. "You knew and freed me: ...... I see, so it''s a kindred spirit. God looked at me with narrowed eyes. Did you find out about the SSS rank. "No, no. I''m a person, just a person. "Let us thank you, child of man, if ...... "Never mind. Smiling at my reply, the god slowly ascended into the sky. God fading away, the world slowly returning to normal. After the blinding light completely subsided, all that remained was the hilt of the holy sword in my hand. Now I must apologize to my father for finding me. I turned around and tried to apologize to him, but... "Huh?Could you possibly see ...... now? Father, Hossen, and Koro at a distance. All three were stunned. Coro opened his mouth and didn''t come back, but... "I see!It must have been the Holy Sword because it was the crucible of God. No, but freeing God would be a greater feat, you know? When you say that, the real achievement is being recognized by God as ''kindred spirits''. "Sure! Three times, a chorus of "hahaha" and "gahahahahaha". Now ...... the release of the holy sword is pretty historically important. That''s Alec. "That''s my brother-in-law. In their eyes, it''s just the usual thing. That''s what I thought was amazing. 56 05. A good man gets rid of the "hardest" bug This is ...... terrible. The next day, in the Alexander League territory, a village named Sisk. I came to inspect the village named Sisk, in the territory of Alexander the Confederacy, with news of the disaster. I heard that the whole statue of Alek was broken. ...... Mia, who had brought us together, said. In front of us lay a half-destroyed hollow and here and there a mangled statue of me, devoured like an insect. With the breakage of my hoard and the stone statue, the guardian of the fertility goddess, the villagers came to me for help. What''s wrong?This Turn around and ask Laura, the mayor of the village of Sisk, a widow-like woman who is giving off an air of fragility. She is a widow-like woman who is giving off a fragile air. She looks troubled, and with an increasingly fleeting air, she says, "The monster has appeared. "The monster is here. "Monster? "Yes, it''s a monster called a pill bug. As she said, one of the villagers, another woman, appeared with a ball. No, it''s not a ball. It''s a curled up bug about the size of an apple. They call it a monster, but can I hold it? "Yes, this pill bug-- Just as Laura was about to answer, a curled up pill bug suddenly moved and pounced on Mia, who was nearby. Mia quickly brushed it off. Oh ......, Alec''s dress is ...... A sad look in Mia''s eyes. The dress I made for her was partially bitten off, exposing half her breasts and her belly button to the air. It''s a little ...... s*xy. Are you okay, Mia? "Yes, the body is nothing. "I''m glad to hear it. Turning to Laura. "You attacked me. It''s not an attack. Excuse me, but isn''t that dress possibly a magic item? Laura asked, and I nodded. "That''s very clear, Glancing back at Mia. The dress, which has the ability to revive like a phoenix, quickly regenerates where it was eaten and returns to its original form as if nothing had happened. I see, so it''s only natural. This is-- Laura was like nothing happened. Picking up a pill bug that was nonchalantly squirming around on a piece of Mia''s dress, he said, "It''s a bug that only eats things that give it a powerful power. It''s a bug that only eats things that have been endowed with powerful powers. "A powerful force ...... I saw Mia''s dress, I saw Astaroth''s hollow. I see. I even asked the Philosopher''s Stone. Lola was right, a monster known to mankind as an ecosystem. They haven''t posed a problem or a threat before. Neither crops nor humans, nor ordinary architecture. It is a monster of no interest to us. Laura kept the pillbug in the palm of her hand and sighed languidly. The knowledge of the Philosopher''s Stone says so too. Normally, a monster that poses no threat to the countryside. But now that we have Alec''s cave, we can go to ...... I see. I''m sure the fertility goddess''s blessing on your cave or my statue is just a pill bug favorite. Also, ...... Hmm? "This too ...... Laura said that and offered a storage bag made of calamity claws. It''s a fast fertilizer-generating bag that takes advantage of the weak human nature of magic. It''s also been eaten by insects and has lost its effectiveness visibly. I see. Nod to me. The damage is in this bag and here. It''s all about me, and it only happens in Alexander''s territory. We''ve got to do something about this. Ah. The pill bug jumped out of Laura''s hand and jumped on Mia again. I ate up a piece of dress and got another. I grabbed it and caught it, and it curled up in my hand. Let''s kill it for now. "It''s no use, when it''s curled up, it repels all attacks-- Clenching his fist, he punched the pillbug. With a blow that was slowly coming to my senses, I sliced the pillbug in half. Though no cure-all, my physical attacks surpassed magic in pure offensive power. My hands were a little stiff and chafing, but the pillbug sliced through with no problem. "So, are you ......? A stunned Laura, the woman who carried the pillbug is also stunned. The pillbug, cut in half, falls to the ground and twitches. "Oh, no. Pillbug slashed ......? "No matter what I did, it didn''t work. ...... Wait, that was a fist, a beating, why ......? I soon found out why I was so wildly surprised. One thing I hadn''t gone through with the information I''d gleaned from the Philosopher''s Stone was that pillbugs, when curled up, are the hardest of all creatures. A pillbug, when curled up, is the hardest of all living things. They can''t be killed by physical attack. I think I''ve done it, and I play down the fact that I''ve done it. Let''s just rebuild the box. Let''s make the bag too. It''s bad for the harvest. Thank you. But ...... pillbug is ...... "Don''t worry, I''ll take care of that too. * I spent about an hour or so restoring the statue here and there. Part of it was still there, so I restored it to its original form. There you go. "Thank you. Laura thanked me, but the fleeting, worried look on her face didn''t change. Oh, ...... Her gaze was turned upward. With a whirr of wings, a few pillbugs flew in. They seemed to have landed on the repaired scales. Oh, ...... also. "Master Alec, we have to get rid of that too. "It''s okay. After I said that, the pillbug, who had snatched a piece of the cheek, started to squirm on the spot. Just after eating it up. I heard the sound of a popping balloon and the pillbug popped from inside. What''s this? That''s my magic condensed in it. Maybe a hundred times more than usual. When you chew on the surface or try to digest it, it expands in one fell swoop - to what you see now. "I see. ......, but wouldn''t that mean that if you could come in numbers, they would eventually eat you up? Laura''s concern was constant, and rightly so, as she was expecting it. "See, look what just got eaten. "Oh ...... goes back to the original ...... "Is the same as my dress? Nodding toward Mia. ''Yes, I''ve allowed myself to repair myself to some extent. "I didn''t know you had thought that far ahead: ...... Oh, a pillbug flew with a piece of it. Laura said and we all saw the flying pillbugs in unison. I wonder what that means. They bring it back to the nest. It''s a worm, and we take it home to store and feed it to our friends in the nest. A pillbug flies away, telling his knowledge from the Philosopher''s Stone. Another pillbug flies away with a larger piece in its mouth. We should be able to eradicate the whole nest after a while. Thank you so much for thinking of that ......! "Thank you!Mr. Alexander! Laura and the other villagers in Sisk village were much happier. A new insect problem was created by my providing them with scales and bags of fertilizer. The pillbugs that live in this area are partly due to the new type of mats. After only three days, they were confirmed to be eradicated. 57 06. The Good Man, Carrying the Worm and Hope Mirrors Kaira village. With instantaneous magic, you flew directly to the vault of this village. I''ve heard that this village, which freed Astaroth, has undergone several major renovations to the woods. As a result, the chamber is just an ordinary one, but the stone statue of me inside is amazing. It is mounted on a high pedestal with ostentatious objects on its back featuring a halo and wings. The statue has a majestic appearance, as if it were the ruler of the world or the last boss of the story. To be honest, there are so many options that my face appears hazy. Astaroth, on the other hand, was life-size (as he was). It''s been known that the bigger the gap between me and Astaroth, the more willingly he is to bestow blessings. From the villagers'' point of view, this was a good decision. Hey! Hey! We''re not safe here! Where''s our boy? A man emerges from behind a tree a short distance away. He had just come from behind a tree, judging from the fact that he was redoing his pants belt. Are you from this village?I don''t see that look on you. "I just moved in the last couple of days, I see. "It''s more dangerous than that, the child should go home immediately, because there is a possibility of a monster attack. That''s okay, I''m here to kill the monster. "Okay, okay, I''ll just take your feelings and leave it to the adults-- I was treated like an adult, like a deaf and dumb kid. I put the bag on the ground. With a thud, a dead pillbug rolled out of the bag. I''ve killed them in every village I''ve come around to. Huh?Pill ...... bug? The man is speechless. His eyes widened and he alternately compared me and the insect carcass. Why is this ...... huh?Dead? I killed it. No, no, no." .................. The man held up his palm and waved it in front of his face. "Stop teasing the adults. You can''t beat a pillbug no matter what you do. You found him somewhere in the middle of his life and picked him up, didn''t you? I really did beat him, though. I''m going to be very angry with you if you don''t do something right. As the line goes, the man is really about to get angry. Then another man comes in. "What''s the matter, Guy, I told you to keep your head to the ground. You don''t know when the bugs are coming. "Mr. Cole, no, this kid "Kids?And Mr. Alexander!I didn''t know you were here. "Huh? The first guy, Guy, went pokey again. A guy named Cole, who came later, bows to me. "Hey, Mr. Cole. What the hell is that kid? "Hey!Don''t be rude, Guy. This is the Vice-Emperor''s Highness, Alexander Carlyle. "Eeeeeeee!I''m sorry! Guy rushed to kneel down and rubbed his head against the ground. "Look, don''t worry about that kind of thing. More importantly, I don''t think we have a pill bug in here yet. Oh no, I''ve been here a few times. "Huh?And with that-- I glimpse the hollow and the stone statue of Astaroth with me in it. The cave and the statue are both beautiful. "It seems to be perfectly clear. The grandparents in the village had an idea and we escaped. "What kind of idea? It''s a wall of flesh that holds the whole village together when the bugs come. ...... I see. I chuckled. The wisdom of the old men may indeed be effective. Pillbugs only eat high-energy creations. The inhabitants of the village I''ve seen so far say so in unison, and the Philosopher''s Stone answers. It is as harmless to humans as the fragile widow Laura was to bare hands. As long as you fill the cave with a wall of human flesh to prevent the worm from getting through, no harm will come to it. Very well thought out. That''s what I''m going to do about it ...... "Why?No harm done, right? There''s no harm done, but there are people who get sick from the bugs crawling all over them and getting sick from the disgusting feeling. ...... Of course you do. Just imagine ...... quit. I don''t like it either. The thought of having to stretch and crawl all over you until a bug gives up and leaves gives me chills just thinking about it. Oh, I really got goosebumps. There aren''t many of them, but I can''t help it: ...... "There are only a few? Yes, at most ten, and sometimes two or three. It''s a good thing I didn''t feed them once, because there was no increase in the number of fish. I see, so we can take it down when it comes. "Oh, no, no, no matter how much the vice emperor, the premise of defeating him is unreasonable-- It''s okay. Then I pulled out a pill bug from the bag on the ground and showed it to them. It''s a pillbug that I beat up () and cut in half in the previous village. They suspected that I picked up a pill bug that had expired somewhere, so I pulled out a pill bug that clearly didn''t die a lifetime. ...... eh. The two of them looked at each other blankly and their voices came together nicely. This is... "Pillbug is slashed! "I thought it was impossible to beat this bug? "Yes, it should be, but ...... Guy and Cole, they look at me fearfully. In front of them, I punched out a pill bug that was still hard even after it died. A pillbug cut in half was cut in half again--a quarter of a pillbug. At first, their eyes were mostly inexplicable and fearful, but then they looked at me with hope and relief. But then they became like eyes of hope and salvation. 58 07. Good people, preventing biohazard "Good morning, Angel. "Ofu-YoGoGo ...... Alekshama ...... I woke up with Angel in the morning sun. We''ve been sleeping in the same bed since she came to the mansion. I''ve become accustomed to Angel''s sleepy, slightly lispy appearance in the morning, and it''s become an essential part of my daily life. Wake up! "Yes. Angel''s Waking Up. It''s not about strong tea or coffee, it''s about Ange using magic to help you realize things. You''ve been studying magic with me since you were six years old, and at ten years old, you''ve already mastered the application of magic. It is an application of healing magic, one that forces you out of your drowsiness. Angier first holds out his hand to me and tries to use his magic as usual. ...... Huh? "What''s up Angel? "I can''t use magic. ...... Maybe you''re tired again. Do you want to sleep a couple more? "Hmmm, I do. ...... Angel was piqued and attached to me. As a child, Angel''s body temperature is moderately high, and coupled with the softness of his body, he is everywhere. I''ll be with you all the way. My sleepiness was contagious. I was about to fall asleep, but I suddenly noticed something noisy outside the room. There was a lot of commotion outside the room. I wondered what was wrong, so I gently pulled Angel away and stepped out of the room. "Hey, Mr. Alec. Good morning Amelia. What''s going on? As I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, I could hear the noise clearly and loudly. Amelia, the maid I encountered, also had a puzzled look on her face. In fact, people are making a fuss about not being able to use magic. "The magic? As you know, Alec, some of the maids can use magic, and the master has given me permission to use it, as long as I can do it efficiently at work. Yeah, I guess so. All those people have been screaming in the morning about not being able to do magic. "I can''t do magic. ...... I turned around and looked through the door in the direction of Angier, who was sleeping in the room. That reminds me that Angel wasn''t able to use magic either. ...... It''s not a coincidence, something is going on. I tried to use my magic to see if I could. I held out my hand and made a ball of fire in my palm. It''s rudimentary magic, flame-generating magic. "Oh, great. So, Master Alec has a natural ability to use it. No, not normally. "Huh? I also have half my magic power. What the hell is going on? "Oh my God! I heard a scream from a distance . That voice ...... Mia? I ran out. Chasing screams, I ran through the corridors where the maids are in trouble. Then, right after I rounded two corners, I saw Mia''s room door open and I went in. What is it, Mia? "Alec-sama--yaaaah! Mia screamed for the second time as her eyes met mine. She was in the room and she was in her underwear. She was wearing nothing else but luxurious, clean, white underwear. Mia hid it in her hands and screamed that I had seen it. "I''m sorry Mia, I''m trying to-- What''s going on--oh my. Likewise, Mia''s screams invited my mother to come check on me. She looked at me and Mia from outside the room, and at the inside of the room for a while. "Mm-hmm. And closed the door. "That''s not what I meant, mother! I flung open the door and ran out into the hallway, with a great shove. . I am with you in the Oval Office of the mansion, father. Amelia was in front of us and she reported with a troubled face. The wizard is wiped out as usual. Master Mia''s dress disappeared immediately after it was restored, and she is practically unwearable, so I prepared some everyday clothes for her. Also. "And? "Mr. Calamity has been absent due to illness. Thank you. ...... It''s Alec. Yes, something is happening to interfere with the magic. "What about Alec? "I''m not sure I''m half as good as I usually am, And then let out a flame. It feels like a handicap, similar to running with lead on your hands and feet, but it doesn''t completely disable your magic. "Hmm, Alec''s half?Even half of Alec is heroic, but this is unacceptable. Your father was really upset with you. I wish you would at least make a joke out of those lines, but after ten years of being your son, I know that your father really thinks that. What''s the cause? I don''t know why. ...... I looked around the room. I got up and went around the room in a circle. "What is it, Alec? This one is a little less affected. I stand in the corner of the room. I held a ball of flame out in the palm of my hand as if it were a candle, and I held it up as I walked toward the diagonal corner. Mmm, the flames got smaller. Father grunts. The ball of fire has shrunk so small that it''s even visible from the side. So that''s it, Alec, that''s where it''s coming from, isn''t it? Maybe. "Amelia, I order everyone in the house to go in this direction and search everywhere. I understand. Wait. I called out to Amelia. "What is it, Alec? "Let the wizard go on the other side. If it''s a single source, there''s a good chance it''s a circle. I might be able to go to the other side and determine the radius from which the magic is available. "Oh my!Well, that''s great, Alec! I understand. This time, Amelia left the office to deliver the order. After waiting long enough. "Sir!Dear Alec! "You found me! "Yes!But ...... "Show me around. "Yes! Led by Amelia, your father and I left the office and the house and landed in the garden. We walked into a small forest on the grounds of the mansion and found the house''s servants lined up there. Ah!Dear Alec. "It''s Mr. Alec! "Master Alec is here! A moment later, there was a great cheer from the servants. They all looked at me and cheered. "Yes, yes. When your father saw this, he nodded his head with his arms folded in satisfaction. That''s what most noblemen would be upset about, father. You''ll be able to put off your commentary later and move forward in front of the servants. Beneath the forest''s massive trees, there''s a huge colony - a nest of worms. Coming out of the nest is a pill bug. A pill bug! "What are they doing wrong now? Father listened and I nodded quietly. The pillbugs were surrounded by broomsticks and broken swords and spears. It seems the servants have already tried and failed to kill them. I believe this is the cause. The wizards measured the usable distance around the circle, and that''s the center of it. I see. Surely, pillbugs eat ''power'' and this might be the cause. I said and took a step forward. "Are you gonna do it, Alec? Father asked. "Yeah, we can''t just let it happen, can we? I will. All right, get the drinks and snacks and I''ll see how brave Alec is. Father is too relaxed ...... and it''s too late to rush in, so I quietly stepped forward and went towards the pillbug nest. Sensing my approach, a bug flew at me. I clenched my fist and punched it. A slash with a punch. A punch that struck the bugs that were nesting in the countryside. "--What? The punches didn''t work. Pillbug was punched away, but it didn''t slash. It used to be able to cut 100% of the time, but it didn''t. No way was physics also ....... "Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I heard a woman laughing from inside the nest. Shortly after, a pillbug appeared, one bigger than the other pillbugs. "We are no longer immune to physical attacks. "...... Queen? Recalling the biology of insects, only one large, special female individual. The word "queen" came naturally to my mind. How true. I am the queen of this hive. What do you mean that physical attacks don''t work? I mean every word of it. We have evolved so that we are immune to all physical attacks. Yes, we evolved at the expense of my people who were killed by you. "...... Wordlessly rushes forward. Pick up the fallen sword and slash the insects. Grasp the spear and stab at it sharply. It''s not responsive. Neither slash nor thrust is effective at all. The worms attack. More than one at a time jumped on me at once. I dodge and counter, swinging my punches as hard as I can. The punches certainly caught the bugs, but they didn''t work at all, and I was rather pushed by them. I jumped sideways and ducked the bug''s rush. I said it was useless. We can no longer strike or slash with any physical attack. And like the scavengers who ate our bubbles to slay us, we''ve blocked magic from this range. We''re invincible! The queen laughed loudly, and the insects echoed it. Come on, humans, let''s see the face of despair! "The sausage is a little overcooked. Boiling is good, prepare more. "I''ll get right to it. "...... What are you people doing! The queen was furious with your father, who was all relaxed and ordered the food. You know what''s going on!You humans-- Then your mother appeared. "Oh my God, there you are! Oh, just in time. You should see Alec in action. "Oh, Awwww, they''re all a bunch of idiots! The queen is completely out of control. I feel a little sorry for her. No offense to your father, but that''s just too much for me. But that doesn''t make me feel sorry for him. You''ll step between the insects that rush at your father and mother, and grab them. "Move! The queen backed away in agony. She restrained a part of her body and looked astonished. I''m melting. ...... It''s magic. "Yeah, magic "Stupid, magic-- It''s a shame, I''m still available. Bob ...... bobbing ...... bobbing ....... The pillbugs around me went up in flames one by one and melted away . My magic power was cut in half by the effect of the pillbug''s nest, so I locked onto all the bugs and shot my magic at them with pinpoint accuracy, thinking I couldn''t waste my magic power. The Bug''s Nest, a colony of bugs, was so huge that the number of bugs easily exceeded a thousand. I''ve pinpointed and burned them all. "d*mn it. ...... The last rushing queen also burned up in the middle of the rush and disappeared, leaving only the echoes of her screams. "Mm, that''s good, Alec, "That''s what I''m talking about, Alec. Both father and mother clapped their hands and praised me. Their flirtation was the same as always, light. Even though later investigation and analysis would show that the outbreak of the queen pillbug was disaster-grade. "Oh my!That''s what I''m talking about, Alec! Our hope, our pride. The tension of praise only increases, but I was still light on the groove. It''s just easier to be comfortable like this. 59 08. The Good Man Produces Immortal Drugs "Yes, this is a rare . It''s the first S-ranked person in a long time. It''s going to be great in the next life. "U......n Wake up blurred head, look around. It seems you have fallen asleep, a little. This is the mountain of the plex, tens of kilometers from Carlisle''s mansion. There was one egg in front of me. A pillbug egg, that''s the only one. And when I looked for it and came here, there was one egg, alone. There was no trace of any other, born as one from the beginning. An egg like that. Normally, insect eggs are plentiful, but my gut tells me that to have only one of them was pretty "special" and likely to be dangerous. The pillbug, an insect that has been plaguing the Alexander League territory for some time now. No matter how many times they were killed, they would reappear and eventually evolve. Survival of the fittest. Tribes often evolve from generation to generation to adapt to the environment or to foreign enemies. The same is true of the pillbug, which evolved to adapt to an external enemy, me. If we continue to kill them haphazardly, they will evolve more and more out of control. I wanted to do something to find a drastic solution, and I found this egg. But ...... it''s amazing how far apart they are from each other and still connected. To my murmurings, the Philosopher''s Stone, which I carry with me, glowed and responded. Lately, I feel something like will in the philosopher''s stone. It doesn''t just answer my questions with knowledge but also shows sympathy for my impressions. I often think it''s somewhat human-like. Such knowledge the Philosopher''s Stone has taught me with a bit of a warning. Pillbugs are connected by the same species of the whole world. If they are annihilated by physics in one place, they will evolve into more physically resistant individuals in another place. That''s exactly what happened to the queen and the pill bug that evolved to be physically disabled in the garden of the villa. This egg will probably evolve, too. I''ve come to break that evolution here (). After watching the egg for a while, the time has come. The egg cracked and a worm hatched from inside. It was a pillbug ......-like worm that hatched. It''s a pill bug that''s changing in appearance. "Who are you ......? Before that, it looks like a lot of things have changed. The newly hatched pillbug asked me in a girl''s voice. Her voice is a little husky and lacking in emotion. Is it just because of the way she talks, or is she being wary of me? I don''t know, but it doesn''t change what I''m going to do. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a stone. Clan!And the pillbug''s eyes lit up. "Do you want some of this? "...... The stone I took out was intriguing and fascinating, but he was wary of me holding it out to him. What''s the matter with you?Don''t you want it? We''ve killed a lot of people. That must be the poison. "Do you have a memory too? "...... Silence, but affirmation. I see...you have inherited more memories from a queen who evolved with intelligence. I knew evolution had to stop here. We can stop it now for a win-win. Don''t worry, it''s called the Philosopher''s Stone. I made it this morning. There''s no poison. "Philosopher''s Stone ......? It''s a kind of Philosopher''s Stone. The Philosopher''s Stone is one of several effects that a sorcerer pursues. There are three main effects of the Philosopher''s Stone. I reach out and hold up a finger and explain, "Eternity and immortality. "Elixir of life and immortality, and not being hungry. Hearing my explanation, the pillbug muttered with a sigh. It''s like a dream: "It''s like a dream ...... Yeah, it''s like a dream. "And ...... maybe the real ...... You know? "Yeah, great energy Well, that''s a typical pillbug criterion. The Philosopher''s Stone, the sorcerer sought three main effects on it. The generation of gold, all knowledge, and immortality. Among them is immortality, which has been pursued and dreamt of by all the powers that be as nonexistent. I made it. With SSS-ranked magic I was able to make the Philosopher''s Stone that could make a worm immortal. Evolution passes from generation to generation and the moment we become immortal our evolution stops. What are you up to? If you become immortal, I''ll live. "...... I''m telling you the truth, I''m not lying. Now, accept this. I take it further to a still-questioning, pensive pillbug. Pillbug stares at me for a moment. A heartfelt, sincere feeling. I wonder if he knows that, and he gradually takes a bite of the philosopher''s stone I offered him. Pillbugs love high-energy artifacts and evolving hasn''t changed that. The pillbug whipped up the Philosopher''s Stone in the blink of an eye. The next moment after taking it all inside, a blinding light shot out from inside the pillbug''s body. I covered my eyes with my hand, blinding my eyes. ''''What?Want to become immortal?I can do it because I''m S-rated. In the light, I thought I heard a voice. It was just like the voice I heard in my dream--no, not like that. It was the voice of the angel that assessed me, before I was born again. There''s no doubt about it, I''m sure of it in the light. I know it was an angel''s voice, and I know what it means. I realize that the pillbug in front of me is an S-ranked person who did good deeds in a previous life. At the same time, I was convinced that I had succeeded in making myself immortal with the Philosopher''s Stone. 60 The Good Man Gets the Metals of God The garden of Carlisle''s mansion. Trying to get permission, I called your father. "What is it, Alec? "Father, I need to ask you for a favor. "...... oh "Huh? Just before he spoke, father, who had been a normal man, suddenly shook himself and looked ecstatic. What''s wrong with you, father? "Alec, Alec depended on me. Alec relied on me!Alec asked for!What greater joy could there be as a father!No, no! That ...... father? "I can''t do this, I have to designate this important day as a holiday. "You won''t be liked for that. Mother, who came with me, stopped Dad from going out of control. Hmph!Why? ! "Alec said, ''I have a favor to ask you,'' and instead of listening to it, you''re going to be the world''s worst, no, the worst father ever. "That was it!Careless! The last "Ugly! I''m sure you''re not the only one," he said, looking a little cooler, partly because his tone was a little theatrical. As usual, your father went out of control, so you pulled yourself together and said, "I have a favor to ask you. I need to ask you to do something for me. "Mm!Say whatever you want. Do you want the money, the harem, or the world? Father asking me one question after another. I''m sure he remembered Mom''s "good father". If I wanted, he''d have everything ready for me. Well, that''s always been the case, and I responded normally. "No, sir. Actually, I have something I want to keep. "What''s the matter. Is 10,000 gold coins enough? "No, I don''t want to buy, I want to keep (), Ten thousand gold coins are enough to buy a small country. With a bitter smile, I held out the "she" I had brought to you in front of your father. The hairy creature, a walking furball and the kind of thing women and children would love. He showed Mother and Father a disfigured pill bug that had evolved from the Philosopher''s Stone. This is what we want to keep. What''s that? "The pill is called Peechan, not ....... Let''s not mention that this is a pill bug yet. "Peechan. Mm-hmm, very nice. "Thank you Father "Then let''s build a house for Peechan. "You know, that lot has good sunshine and good drainage, so why don''t you build on it? "Mm!How many hectares would be enough? "I don''t need that much!Or rather, it''s okay, I''ll keep it in my room. If left unchecked, the pillbug - a huge mansion, or rather a palace, could be built for Peechan, so I stopped your father before that happened. "Eh, No, not "eh" . At any rate, I''m allowed to keep Peechan. . The large garden after your father and mother returned to the mansion. As I watched Pee-chan rummaging in the garden, I was lost in thought. The wind blew and leaves danced in front of me. With a fluttering wave of my arm, the dancing leaves were cut in half. The cut was sharp, as if it had been made with a sharp blade. It''s as if she could control her physical strength - a different kind of bodily skill than she did at first. Next, you swing a longsword from the mansion''s armory. He swings it wildly, unleashing all manner of slashes. It gradually increases in speed, and countless arcs of light fly through the air. The wind noise also gradually increases with a growl, but after a certain point, the sound disappears with a puff. The slash was too fast and left the sound behind. --Pan! Suddenly there was a loud noise. My sword-wielding hand also stopped. I look at the sword in my hand. ...... No, I see what was the sword. A sword that couldn''t withstand my force, so it melted, leaving only the hilt. It''s the same scene as it was in the beginning, but now that I can control the force, I can see how far the longsword can withstand the force and where it would be blown away from. I pull out my other longsword and keep swinging so that I don''t break it this time. The force is now almost completely under control, but with this ordinary longsword-- I can''t even use 10% of my strength. Orichalcone would be 50 percent of your strength at best. ...... An increasingly poignant figure to be able to control. I stopped the longsword and swung my hand sword instead. I drew my sword with all my might, far faster than the speed of sound, and of course it was my own body, so I didn''t do anything. With my bare hands, I can do it with all I''ve got. ...... One curious, picked up a stone from the ground and slashed with the longsword. After a quick slash, he struck it with the exact same force, this time with his bare hands. I knew that with the same power, I would be stronger with a weapon. It''s not surprising. If you exert about 1% of your full strength, the longsword is more powerful with a weapon than with a bare hand. It''s also common sense that at full strength, if you have a weapon that can withstand it, the one with a weapon will be stronger. Unlike magic, physics doesn''t have a weapon that can withstand my power, so I haven''t been able to give my true 100% as it is now. I thought that was a bit of a waste. Suddenly, it hit me. It''s not like magic--yes, magic. Why don''t we just make it up as we go along? The stone told me and that''s what I did. Just like making a magic ball, you adjust the magic you release. The magic embodied in it takes the form of a sword. Hold it lightly and take a deep breath. Breathe in. A slash at nothing. Nothing was cut--but. The magic blade passed by and space seemed to be distorted by the delay. And the magic sword was uneventful. Like my body, the magical sword I had made with my magic was able to withstand the full force of my power. "Great. I was relieved. If I ended up not being able to give my full strength, I was left with a bit of a cloud, but with this, I can give my full strength. I was relieved to get rid of the cobwebs right away. Of course, this wasn''t all solved. It''s hard when you''re trapped in a trap that completely nullifies your magic, like the people who tried to kidnap Eliza did, but it''s still good for now. Still, I''ve made up for it for now. I decided to use this magical sword for some time to come and practice getting it in and out of my hand more quickly. ...... n Suddenly, I felt something pressing against my feet. When I looked down, I saw that the object of the sensation was Pee-chan. Pee-chan, a pill bug that has evolved into a cute little walking furball, pressed itself against my feet. What''s the matter with you? "...... nothing Pee-chan will only answer bluntly when you ask. But she kept pressing up against you, and her body language seemed to be sweet. It was a little funny, so I squatted down to pet her, and that''s when I saw something shiny right next to her. I was about to squat down to pet Peechan, when I noticed something shiny right next to her. "What''s this? "Collected. "Collected? That''s a lot of energy, so I collected it. Can''t I collect it? "No, not bad. Pill Bug, or maybe Peechan''s new habit. Peechan became immortal and no longer needs to eat. Still, she is attracted to high-energy bodies and collects them. It''s a bit like a crow, though, because it''s not used for food anymore. You can collect them, but you can''t collect them by breaking them. "...... Okay. Pee-chan listens to what she says. Smiling at her, I picked up what I had gathered. It was something like a grain of sand. There were only three grains the size of a grain of sand. Still, they gave off a glow greater than that of gold. What''s this thing? The awesome brilliance of spontaneity, a high-energy body that attracts the attention of pillbugs. Wondering what it is, he asks the philosopher''s stone. A wise man''s stone with all its knowledge, a wise man''s stone that has recently begun to show some sort of emotion. He replied with a little mixture of joy. The strongest metal beyond orichalcone ......? The first time I saw a legendary metal, even rarer than the orichalcone, the metal of God. The Philosopher''s Stone further advises. You can make ...... my weapon! 61 10. Good man, screwing down the metal of God A baboon. Once again, I tried to ask the Philosopher''s Stone for information about it--. "Oops. In a bit of excitement, I touched the Philosopher''s Stone in my pocket and unintentionally removed it. The Philosopher''s Stone rolled on the ground. It was a high-energy object, and Pee-chan jerked up. Not good, he said, and picked up the Philosopher''s Stone. Then he pulled himself together and asked the stone again. The answer to the knowledge he wanted came right away. A baboon. It gleams like gold, but is far lighter than gold. It is harder than orichalcone and is a better conductor of all energy, including magic. Its high conductivity means that there is usually no loss at all, and its special structure even amplifies the power of the orichalcone. It is not uncommon for a person to conduct one kind of power or energy to become two in the end. It''s truly a dream object, a god''s metal that''s just too fluffy to be called a god''s metal. It''s much stronger than the orichalcone, as long as you collect these: ....... Peechan, can you collect more of these? "...... Pee-chan stops at my feet and looks up at me intently. She doesn''t say yes or no, she just stares at me. P-chan? I crouched down, tilting my head and bringing my face closer. Pee-chan remains silent and does not respond. Her face appears to be sulking, but the air she wears is not. I know this air ....... I reached out and patted Peechan. When he stopped, Peeky looked more and more like a furball. I stroked her for a while, and then she remained silent and walked away from me. Hmmm, I guess she wasn''t going to make it. But then she stopped, turned around, and stared at me. Do you want me to follow you? "...... Pee-chan still didn''t answer, but this time she was like "follow me" and started walking again. I''m not sure, but I''ll follow her. I followed her for a while, and she came to a large rock in the garden that resembles Mount Morrison. It''s the mountain we used to control and test physical attacks a few times before. Peechan snuggled into the rock and began to take a bite out of it. Bump, bump, bump! I don''t know what you want. This huge rock, modeled after Morrison''s mountain, has no energy at all. A pillbug would never look at it. But now Pee-chan is gnawing on it. I wondered what she was trying to do, and I kept looking at it for 30 minutes. Pee-chan crushed all the big rocks and came back to me. He stops at his feet and looks up at me. What''s this?I mean, was it okay to eat a rock with not a shred of energy like that? "...... bad Peechan said just that one word. I knew that objects without energy were no good from a pill bug perspective. I mean, if it''s bad, I shouldn''t have eaten it. Pee-chan spat out a pill bug. A cane the size of a grain of sand was spat out in front of me. "What''s this? "I found it inside, give it to you. Could it be because ...... felt a single baboon in that huge rock? "...... I see, thank you. He ate a lot of things for me that I didn''t want to eat, but he found a baboon that he wanted to eat the most and gave it to me. I was so happy to see him, so I gave him the hollyhock and pet Pee-chan. Pee-chan looked pleased with me. After that, Pee-chan started walking again. This time she stopped at a certain point and then dug out of the ground. There''s a baboon under there. That''s what we''ve learned so far. "Pee-chan, take it easy. "...... hmm Peechan glanced at me and sniffed. But he wouldn''t stop, he just dug a hole. He dug a hole and unearthed the baboons and refined them for me. . Three days later, in my room. In front of me was a large amount of baboons. Pee-chan had worked hard in her sleep to collect it, and it was enough for a longsword swing. "Thank you, P-chan. "...... separately She was still quiet as ever, but she stayed at my feet and pressed herself against me. I''ve learned over the past few days that he''s not very obedient with his mouth, so I pet him to praise him. Her mouth is blunt, but a happy smile appears on her face. Now I have to put the money Pee-chan collected for me to good use. I pulled out a lot of knowledge from the Philosopher''s Stone, but I''ve come to the conclusion that the sword is the best weapon. It''s the most orthodox and has no peculiarities and can be used in almost any situation. If I could only make one thing in quantity, I thought the sword would be the best choice. To make the sword, first I need to melt the hollyhock seed. I heated up the hollyhock with fire magic. It will not melt." ...... Even as the flames glowed pale and heated to the point that your skin burned just standing beside them, the baboons in the flames didn''t budge. It was still there as a pile of sand grains that didn''t change in color and emitted a glittering brilliance greater than gold. That''s the metal of the gods, and it didn''t faze me. Then I will increase the temperature of the flames with my magic and raise the temperature of the flame. Catch your peak, mupapato style, at 120% of the wave and pack it in one go. The flames flare up!and gaining momentum, but . ...... lie. His eyes widened. I''m sure you''ll be able to find it in the flames, which are nearly twice as strong as before, but the baboons still didn''t spook. Is it no good ...... no! I caught a glimpse of Peeky. She was so hot that she hid behind my back, but she was still hot, and her fur was burning. Even though she was burning, she wouldn''t move. The money she had collected for me, I didn''t want to waste it. I took a deep breath. I decided to do something I rarely did before--I decided to give it my all. I had one weakness--no, a flaw--in being born again with my memories. I was an adult inside. Adults are distinctly inferior to children in that they can''t just go all out. A child is always living life to the fullest. Often they are playing happily one minute, and the next they fall asleep like a puppet whose strings have been broken. That''s because they are living life to the fullest. Adults can''t do it, and I can''t do it either. That''s what I''m going to do at ....... I give it all I''ve got, don''t think about it, just give it my all. As an adult, you have to let go of the natural limiters that come naturally to you. The Mupapaato method. 120%...... 121...... 122...... 122...... 123......... .... Limits further beyond the limits, raising them . Hah! SSS rank, another 200% of its magic power, all at once poured into the baboon kane. Flames shine white, clothes are partially scorched and punctured. But still -- "No ? You''re not ......? The baboon in the fire did not change its appearance at all . So far. ....... Just when I thought it was over. The philosopher''s stone rolled out from inside his burnt clothes. The Philosopher''s Stone, which I had been carrying around with me, was falling toward the flames. Ah-- Reaching out, trying to catch the Philosopher''s Stone. --I got it. Jump! The outstretched hand stopped, a voice - I heard it. With a moment''s hesitation, the Philosopher''s Stone fell into the flames. Beyond its limits, in a flame that burned with the full force of SSS rank magic. And then - it shone. Within the glowing white flames, a brighter light shone even brighter. There. ...... That''s my magic. It reminds me of the day I made it. The Philosopher''s Stone is a high-energy body made of my magical power condensed. In the flames, that energy broke through its dependency, the stone, and was unleashed all at once. An SSS-ranked magic power. That''s it--for two people. In the dazzling light, in the flames that increased the heat even more. The baboon finally lost its heat and turned into melted iron. --I can help you more! From the baboons, I could hear the will of the Philosopher''s Stone, which I had always carried with me. I could hear the will of the Philosopher''s Stone, which I had been carrying around with me. 62 11. The Good Man Completely Possesses the Power of Physics In the middle of the garden of the mansion. I closed my eyes and stood alone. The wind blew. A strong wind that whipped near the ground. "--! I snapped my eyes wide open and took in the sight in an instant. There are 1, 2, 3 ...... total of 10 blown leaves flying in the air. You put your hand on the hilt of the sword you are carrying on your back and pull it out and release it. A full-blooded sword dance against the 10 falling leaves dancing in front of you. A bolt of lightning flies, ten (the same number) of slashes firmly catch the fallen leaves. Check the sword after it has been fully wielded. The metal of the gods, the metal of the baboons, and the philosopher''s stone fused into a new sword. Even under my full force, it still shone exactly the same. It looks like you got a nice sword. "Eliza Eliza coming up from behind and lining up next to me. Even though she''s the emperor, she comes to visit me occasionally on the sly. She joins me and peers at my new sword from beside me. That was the best you could do. You know? "Yes, ............ is about you. As usual, Eliza mumbles one last inaudible word to herself. "What did you just say? "Hey, it''s nothing. More importantly, it''s amazing that it can withstand Alec''s power. What is it made of, after all, orichalcone? No, it''s called a baboon. "...... huh? Eliza goes puzzled. "What''s a baboon? "Yeah, maybe, um, "...... lies. It''s true. "Yeah, yeah, because how did you get so many baboons?And processing. I managed it. It would be too long to explain, so I''ve blurred that part out. Immediately afterwards, the blade of the sword was small - pulsing to the point that only I could see it. It was a will. As it fused with the sword, it felt stronger, the will of the Philosopher''s Stone. Yes, fused. The Philosopher''s Stone that dove into the baboons didn''t vanish. Not only did it not vanish, the sword itself became like the Philosopher''s Stone. It was reborn as a sword that could withstand my full force and yet possessed all my knowledge. You still do the unbelievable things. You are. "I wonder. But your swordsmanship seems to be a long way off. "Huh? Eliza squatted down and picked up a few fallen leaves. These are the leaves I had cut with my sword earlier. Most of them were intact and only one was sliced. You didn''t cut nearly enough. Hmmm, there are about ten of them and only one was slashed. "Oh, If you can only cut one piece of paper, your swordsmanship is not as good as it should be. No, it''s not. I chuckled. It''s the other way around. I was able to cut one card. What do you mean? As a matter of course, Eliza nodded her head. "Well, I took a leaf from Eliza''s hand, threw it in the air, and then drew my sword. The slash clearly caught the leaf, but... But it didn''t cut. It fluttered in the air and fell slowly to the ground. Huh?Not cut? Yes, I want to have complete control over my power, and I''m slashing so I can''t slash. Of course I can slash. Then tossing the fallen leaves once more, he swung his sword out. This time it was clearly visible from the time it was in the air, slicing it in half. Like this. I tried not to slice through ten of them earlier, but I see. ...... I was able to cut through one. It''s not quite there yet. "...... "Eliza? Eliza stares at me with a poke in the eye. It''s like I''ve seen something unbelievable. Suddenly, there''s a breeze. Just like before, a strong wind. The fallen leaves of the garden tree were brought in front of me again. ...... This time. Gripping the sword firmly, I concentrate and release a slash. The number of fallen leaves is 20--twice as many as before. I caught a glimpse of Eliza''s figure. Twice as many, more than twice as difficult. But it''s not cool to fail because Eliza is watching me. I concentrated and hit all the fallen leaves with a slash. The wind has stopped and the leaves fallen to my feet. I didn''t slash a single leaf. ...... A more stunned Eliza. Thank God, it looks like we made it. You really are ...... Eliza''s face becomes more and more amazed. I''m glad I didn''t fail twice in front of her. This gives me confidence. A power I had awakened a while ago. A power in physics that I couldn''t control, that I had no weapon to catch. It''s now a weapon, and we can control it. I knew with certainty that it was completely mine. 63 01. Good men, bound by countless red threads My room in the morning. When I woke up, Angier helped me to get dressed in the morning. I change out of my pajamas into something to go outside. Angel checks every sleeve, hem, and collar, and adjusts them. Angel literally behaves like a chaste wife. ...... I stared at Angel up close and personal. Angel and I had both turned twelve years old. Compared to me, who was still in boyish flesh, Angel had been growing up fast for a while now. Girls grow up fast. I''ve heard these words before in a past life, but I never really knew what they meant, and now I''m learning them. In the past few months, Angel has been pulled along with her physical growth, and she''s become completely mature. Perhaps because she is a precocious child of her age, she is now the same as Eliza was when we met. You''ll be able to find a beautiful girl that you can''t complain about. The beautiful girl prepared me for the day. I felt a happiness that I had never felt in my previous life. Here you go, Mr. Alec, that''s it. "Thank you, Angel. No. Mr. Alec, you look great today. Angel, who speaks as if it were a matter of course. There''s no pretense or hesitation. He speaks like he really, truly believes it. Thank you. Angier. As a final touch, I carried the sword on my back . The Sword of the Philosopher''s Stone with a Baboon and a Philosopher''s Stone. This sword, with its own consciousness, does not like to be touched by others. I had asked the Philosopher''s Stone once what he would do if he touched me. Forcing the uninformed to see every method of torture in history and its images . and was answered with . A mental attack, and the way he did it was quite egregious. That''s why I always keep my sword on myself. Now I''m done getting ready for the morning. I look in the big mirror in my room. In it I see a lively, intelligent, crisp boy. Maybe it''s because he was born with memories of a previous life, or maybe it''s because he''s SSS-ranked and has an indisputably perfect appearance. He looked like the hero of the story. . I went to town with Angier. I have many troublesome things to do, so I often travel from place to place. When I have nothing to do, I like to wander around the city with Ange. I''ve been doing this ever since Angel came to me right after the birth, for almost ten years now. ...... "What''s the matter, Angel, looking at the city with a straight face "Last time I went to the capital, Oh, was it when you were called to some ceremony as a princess?What does it matter? The capital is still the same, but I feel like this place is already more developed than the capital. Do you think so? See the city again at the behest of Angier. The city that is the home of Carlisle''s mansion. It certainly looks a lot more developed than it did when I was a kid. It''s all thanks to you, Alec. "I wonder. "Yes!I heard that a record number of people have requested to relocate to the Alexander League territory again this year. "Your father told me. The screening process is very difficult. "I think we all want to be Alec''s people. We heard that in King''s Landing, too. Master Alec is irresistible! I don''t feel bad about being lifted up, but it does create a problem. Too much regional disparity is not a good thing. It would be nice if I was the emperor and the whole empire was my territory, but it''s not, so that''s a tough one. "Huh? What''s wrong this time? "Those guys have a red thread on their fingers "Let''s see which one is true." ...... Angier pointed to a cafe. In the cafe, there is an object like a crystal ball on the table, and when you put your hand on it, a red string stretches out from your little finger. It was mostly couples, a man and a woman, who were doing it, and the red string from their little finger connected them. What kind of magic item is this? Let''s hear it! Angier clattered away. I walked slowly and followed him. Angel asked the cafe clerk. "It''s a love charm. It''s a love charm. It''s a pinky pinch for a potential future soul mate. Is that so? In the meantime, I also asked the wise man''s sword on his back to answer the questions I had heard from the clerk. That''s about right, but it''s just a possibility, and sometimes it doesn''t happen. That doesn''t make much sense to me, I thought. I noticed Angier glancing at me. "Clerk. Is there still a seat for you two right now? "--! Angier was overjoyed. "Of course. Ladies and gentlemen! The waiter showed us to the back of the room and we sat down at the back. He ordered for two people at random. Angel didn''t care about the order at all, he was looking at the crystal ball at each table, which is also at this table. Angel, do you want to try it? "Yes! Angier nodded loudly, followed the other couple, and put his hand on the crystal ball. Immediately, a red thread stretched from my little finger and reached for my hand. I held out my hand and the red thread was tied to my little finger. Wow. ...... Angel was touched by the red thread that connected our little fingers to each other. I''m glad to see ...... by Alec. That''s a given. As I''ve said many times, my first wife is Angier. "...... yes, My words right after the red thread. Angier broke into an increasingly happy face. "Here you go. Congratulations. The clerk who brought my order congratulated me and Angier on our red thread. It''s the store that carries this, so it looks like they''re used to congratulating you. "But I didn''t know this stuff was so popular. I casually put my hand on the crystal ball that Angier had removed from my hand. "Wow! Even more admiring than before, Angel. Wow! There were multiple red threads coming from my fingers. There were ten--no, not twenty. One of them connected to Angel''s finger, the others dangled in the air. Silly me. I''ve never seen this much on ....... No, it''s impossible. The clerk, who had congratulated us earlier in a very familiar manner, was speechless at the sight of so many red threads. It''s amazing!Dear Alec, the thread is full. "So much for this. "Yes!Of course you are Alec! Angier was delighted that there were dozens of red threads of destiny, as if it were his own. 64 02. A good person steals the steam from a hot spring In the swinging carriage, I used my magic. The magic light, which for a moment blinked, quickly converged and materialized in the palm of my hand. I handed it to Angel. Is this--a hairpiece?Dear Alec. Yes, the shape is. Take and wear it as a charm. "Is it a good luck charm? I was hit by a spell that nullified all magic before, so I had to do an imitation. In a pinch, if you drop it on the ground or something, it will activate and negate all magic around it. It will cancel any magic. "Thank you, Mr. Alec! Ange holds the hairpiece with both hands as if it were a waste of time to wear it. You''re holding it carefully, as if it''s a waste to wear it. You look so happy and cute when you do so, so I let you do what you want for a while. The carriage moves forward, and there''s no one there. The carriage is controlled by my magic and it''s fully automatic and will go to its destination. The automatic carriage will take me and Angier to our destination. ******** The whole day in the carriage came to a small town called Zeahorse. As we entered the city, I slowed down the carriage a bit, and Angier tilted his head slightly. It''s ...... "What''s up Angel? Something ...... smells funny. The smell of sulfur. It''s an all-too-common smell in spa towns. This is the first time. By the way, Mr. Alec. "What is it? It''s about time you told me how you came to be here. I didn''t tell you that. I forgot to explain because Angel was obediently following me. Something strange has been happening in this town lately, and I''ve been crying out to you to do something about it. "Is the strange thing ......? Yes, the food is gone before you know it, or the dried up laundry is splashed with hot spring water ...... and more. "Is it a little kid''s prank? The content. But the weird thing is, they haven''t found the killer. Fairies and demons, and people in this town suspect all that. Okay, that''s why I need a favor from Mr. Alec. "Yeah, that''s on the side. Incidentally, is it? Angier nodded his head further. It was only for a moment, and his expression immediately tightened. You can easily understand Angel''s misunderstanding. It''s funny that Alec should stick out for such a trivial matter, I know, but we have more important things to do for camouflage. It was easy to see how it was mistaken for that. I''ll do my best! Angier clenching his fists to his chest with enthusiasm. ''Yeah, good luck with that. It won''t matter if you don''t enjoy yourself. "Yes!Good luck and enjoy!-- enjoy? "Yes. What kind of ...... thing is that? Because it''s a trip. "Huh? "I''m traveling alone with my precious Angel. You should enjoy it, otherwise you wouldn''t have come with us. "...... oh Angel, who realized both her mistake and my intentions at the same time, was embarrassed and yet happy. She was embarrassed and yet happy to see me. This will be the hotel''s signature open-air bath. Since the main purpose of the trip was to entertain Angers, we hid our identities and stayed at an ordinary spa inn in Zeahorse as mere travelers. We were ushered in by an ordinary innkeeper and looked in through the entrance of the open-air hot spring. In the open-air hot spring, there were several adult women soaking in the baths and admiring the view. Wow, a beautiful bath, and a beautiful view. Our inn is the latest in magic hot springs, so you can enjoy it without worry. "Magic spa?What kind of thing is that? It''s--oh, look at that one. "Huh? Wawa! A surprised Angel . The employee points to a woman who has just stepped out of the tub. She''s stark naked and in full view - or so it seems. The woman''s vital parts, including her breasts, are hidden by thick steam in about three places. It''s ...... what? When asked, the employee woman replied with a smug look on her face. "Magic steam!In our hot springs, you don''t need a towel or a bathing suit because you can hide in such a way. Everyone can soak in the hot water naked without worrying about it. It feels great! "...... I see. Magic steam. I see the woman getting out of the tub again. I leaned forward to take in the view, but the steam followed closely, hiding the important parts. I saw that the steam was quite powerful. Is that something I can''t get? "It''s okay!It''s a blessing from the earth spirit, so you can''t take it away for a second. Another smug look on my face . I see, if there''s even an earth spirit involved, then it''s very reliable . I have the fertility goddess Astaroth with me, so I know the feeling. As proof, the woman in the bath is over here - she knows me, a man, but goes in and out of the baths with little regard for me. A woman sits on the frame of the bath to cool off and her important parts are tightly hidden by the steam. Hmmm, invisible. It seems to be invisible, but it''s very efficient. I just kind of looked at Angers. I didn''t mean to do that (), but it seems that''s how it felt to Angier. She blushed with embarrassment and covered her important parts with her hands. She did so in spite of the fact that she was wearing clothes. Oh, ...... My hand hit the employee in a hiding motion. As it happened, the hairpiece you had just given her, the one you hadn''t yet carefully worn, spilled out of your hand and fell to the floor. Instantly, a light spreads. The hairpiece pops and the enclosed magic is activated. What--what? How and why did you get rid of the steam? "Don''t look at me! There was a panic in the open-air baths. A spell that I had once fallen victim to, nullifying all magic. It went off, blotting out even the earth spirit''s blessings. The women stepped out of their baths and instantly plunged into the hot springs with a crash. ...... Fortunately or unfortunately. I was not a boy inside, but an old man, and for a moment I saw a happy thing burned firmly into my retinas. 65 03. The Good Man Set a Trap and Uncover the Criminals Inside the inn, the room where Angier and I would be staying. Ange came in front of me with towels for both of us. "Let''s go to the bath, Alec? "Yes, ......, oh, wait a minute Angier Angier said yes, but tilted his head back and looked away. With Angel watching me, I gently touched my sword and pulled out the knowledge. After putting all the knowledge together, I used my magic to create an object. I held it out to Angel. "Here, put this on. "What is this? "A long time ago, a country''s clothes, everyone used to wear these when they came to the hot springs. I see. Okay, I''ll go get dressed. Angel took the clothes I had made and retreated to the back of the room to change. I heard a rustling sound through the door. "How do I wear this, Alec? "It''s easy, just put it on and fasten it with a sash - like this. It sticks out its fingers and does magic. You can''t see it, but behind the door, there should be a puppet-like image that reflects the way he''s dressed. I don''t know, Angel. "Thank you, Mr. Alec!It''s very straightforward. "Yes. I stepped away from the door and waited for Angier. About three minutes - I thought it was taking a little longer - and then Angier walked out the door. "Oh? "How do you like it, Mr. Alec? "Yes, you look great. You look good. "Thank you for ...... Angier''s cheeks flushed, and he was delighted with a smile. By the way ...... what kind of clothing is this?It''s my first time wearing a strange outfit. It''s called a yukata. "Is yukata ......? "Yes, as I said before, it''s an old country dress from a long time ago. As I said before, a long time ago, a country''s clothing was developed for people who went to and from the hot springs over and over again, so they developed such comfortable clothes. I didn''t know that. ...... "And this. "Is this the hairpiece you saw on ......? Oh, I used a new one. I added some new effects. I made it, so as long as you have it on you, I''ll know where to find you in case you get into trouble, and I''ll always be there. Thank you. Angier smiled happily. "Well, let''s go then. "Yes! I left the room with Angier and went towards the hot springs. A short walk and soon. "What, what, how cute. "Where are these clothes from? The other guests gathered around Angier''s side. Everyone was excited to see their first yukata. It''s called a yukata, and it''s, uh-- Angier glanced my way. I stepped forward and explained to our guests. "I made these clothes. I thought it would look good in the hot springs. "Awesome, yeah!It''s a perfect fit. You have good taste. Hey, is this the only outfit you''ve got?Not more? "I want to wear it too. The guests pestered me, looking at Angel with envy. Yes, I have. Hold out your hand and magically make a yukata for the number of people in front of you. It''s just a piece of clothing with my magic in it, so I could make one in a flash. Wow! "Thank you! There are instructions on how to wear it on the paper inside, so if you don''t know how to wear it, look at it. ""Yes!" The women who were present became even more excited and took the yukata from my hand. They quickly go back to their rooms and change into their yukata. The yukata spread quickly. After that, more guests heard the rumors and came to visit, but I made them all a yukata. The yukata looks great as it is, but when worn after a hot bath, it''s wholesome but also a bit s*xy. The whole hotel is full of beautiful women in yukata, which was enough for a by-product. . "Dear Alec, Oh my God, Dear Alec! At night, while relaxing in his room at the inn, Angier came rushing in. "What''s up, Angel? "Oh my God!The yukata, but the yukata made by Master Alec is gone. "Gone? "Yes!The whole inn is in a panic, they said it was gone when they got out of the hot spring. I see. I''m just saying that ......, Mr. Alec, how can you be so calm? "That''s why I''m here, Gently touch the wise man''s sword and use your magic. A framed circle appears in the air, with many points of light shining in it. Oh, the thing goes out! Yeah, I thought you might be interested in the yukata, so I made a bunch of them and spread them around. Here, here. Point to the image floating in the air. It''s something I made with my magic, so it''s easy to track. "Ah, ...... Angier gently touched his hairpiece. Yes, that''s the same effect. That''s what I''m talking about, Mr. Alec! Smiling at Angier, I look at the one spot where the points of light are gathered. That''s where the killer must be. 66 04. Good man slashes Minotaur with one sword I took Angier and followed him, relying on the magic of the chase, into the mountains. Originally, Zealhose was a hot spring area in the mountains, and after a short distance away from the place where it was carved out and turned into a hot spring town, the rest was just ordinary wilderness. We followed the mountain and found a cave on an inconspicuous mountain road. "Look, Master Alec, a cave! Yeah, I guess so. It''s big enough to fit an adult and looks pretty deep ....... Will this be in "Yes. Nodding, he shows Angel a radar display with tracking magic. "The missing yukata is definitely in the back here. "Then let''s go in! "Yes, .................. no. "Huh? I''ll go in first, Angie, you follow behind. I understand. Angier obeyed my words honestly. I stepped inside, my hand on the wise man''s sword at my back. He came into the cave a few seconds later, as well, and said. "Huh? "What''s up Angel? "I just had a funny feeling. Yeah. That''s because I put up wards. "Warding?Why is that, Mr. Alec? You never know what you''ll find. I don''t want to miss what''s inside ...... and to make sure that people in the spa town don''t wander in by accident. Until this is resolved. "I see!That''s great, Mr. Alec. I took the convinced Angel and went deeper. It was very dark in the cave, so I made a magic ball of light to light the way. Mm, stop, Angel. What''s going on? "Can you see that? "Let''s see, ...... is that sludgy stuff? Yes, it''s poisonous. "What?What do we do, Mr. Alec? "Do you have that hairpiece? "Of course!It was given to me by Mr. Alec. Put it lightly to your mouth. Why? Its physical construction is partly based on the Philosopher''s Stone, which can nullify any poison while in the mouth. "So it was!I understand!Oh, but Mr. Alec? "I told you the Philosopher''s Stone, I smiled as I touched the Philosopher''s Sword - the original Philosopher''s Stone. Seeing this, Angier huffed and chuckled, "Teh-heh! That was it! "Then I''ll go on. "Yes! Go further into the cave, neutralizing the poison that is in the air. Feel the hairpiece () as you proceed through the cave, always keeping an eye on Angel''s condition. Angel close your eyes! "--Yes! Beside me, I found Angel closed his eyes tightly. I looked forward again. Out of the gloom emerged a curious, bipedal monster. "What is it, Master Alec? "It''s a chicken body and a snake tail ...... basilisk "Is a basilisk ...... that terribly poisonous monster?Oh, I see, I''ll turn to stone if I look at your eyes. ...... "You know, Angel, you''re right. The poison in the cave must be his doing. What should I do? A basilisk is a monster of the hexenbiest class, if I recall. "It''s okay. Draw the sword of the wise man, take a mid-arm position, and lunge! I was able to close the distance in an instant and pierce the basilisk with my sword. He was of the hexenbiest class, so he didn''t die from the sword''s penetration. Rather, they were upset, and they stood up and tried to attack you. The Philosopher''s Stone. (Pause) The Philosopher''s Stone whose will has been strengthened since it became a sword. A simple will can now be articulated. Immediately after his reply, the basilisk swelled up from within, and in an instant, like a balloon - it burst. In the aftermath, a fishy smell spread throughout the area. "What, what?What''s up? It''s okay, you can open your eyes now. "Yes ...... wow, the monster is popping "The power of the Philosopher''s Stone is released from within. I''m vulnerable to the power of life, Basilisk. "I see!That''s what I''m talking about, Alec! "Gulp, I''ve been waiting, I''ve been waiting for this moment "That''s who! Suddenly, a mysterious laugh is heard. Angier reacted and whirled around in a panic. The laughter echoed for a while, and then someone emerged from the gloom. "A human body on a cow''s head...... me, a minotaur! I guess so. What appeared was a red-copper-colored monster with a bull''s head and muscular human flesh all over, just like Angier had told us. It was a minotaur! It was also quite strong, a monster of the hexenbiest class. The shredded yukata is lying at its feet. "Geez...it was just a kid. I thought it was either an idiot with a misguided sense of justice or a scared child who would bite it, and you''ve hit the jackpot. So, a lot of things happened in Zeahorse that were your fault. "Geez, yeah. What do you think a man like me is doing in a place like this?That''s because they''re sealed in these wards. It can''t be broken from the inside because of a joke of a warding that only reacts to strong forces. "Did you have the prankster do an errand boy or something? Yeah, when a human gets in here, the wards dissolve. I had to do a lot of things to get them to come here. I see. All we have to do is kill you and get out of here. "...... oh I heard Angel raise his voice behind me. It sounded like he suddenly remembered something. "Maybe it''s Alec. ...... "Peenpone, you''ve hit the jackpot, Angel. "Wow. ...... Wow, that''s great, Master Alec. So that''s what it is. "Because the moment I walked in, I felt the warding break. A warding is a bad idea to leave it open. "Yes!I see, that''s why you went in ahead of me for a moment thinking about something, That kind of thing. Angel, who was watching my behavior more closely than I expected. I felt her feelings there, and I was a little bit happy. "What are you talking about, kids! It''s not a big deal, just He looked the minotaur straight in the eye and said, "I just put up a new, stronger ward when it comes in. ''I just put up a new, stronger ward when it came in. "....... The raptured minotaur. I never thought that would happen. But then you come to yourself. "Well, I''ll just have to hurt you to get you to release it. That''s just your luck coming in. "Nope. I shook my head. "That''s what came in here. "Huh. ------ eh. The next thing I knew, the minotaur''s head was flying through the air. I stepped in faster than it could react, and I drew my wise man''s sword and cut it down. I thought, "I can beat a monster like this. In the same way that I could tell what condition Angier was in. I had some idea of the battle power of the minotaur who had touched the bathrobe. 67 Becoming a Good Person and a Good Person The minotaur collapses, decapitated and falling a breath too late. It collapses from its knees, and its massive body goes bang!and fell with a crash. "Oh my God, that''s great, Mr. Alec! "...... "Mr. Alec?What''s wrong with you? As I stared at the minotaur''s corpse, Angier looked at me quizzically. "Feeling weak, "Because Alec-sama is strong! Ange, with his fists at his chest, makes a strong case. I''m glad you believe me, but... Suddenly the ground rumbles. The ground starts to shake, and the next thing I know, I can''t feel my feet anymore. The floor collapsed, dropping me, Angel, and the minotaur''s corpse. Angel! Quickly, I pull Angier into a hug. Hold on to me. "Yes!Dear Alec! Holding her in my arms, I often free fall. Relying on the faint glow of the magic ball of light chasing after me, I landed on the looming ground. For the length of the fall, my legs went numb. Feng ....... Are you okay, Angel? I''m sorry for scaring you. "It''s okay!Alec-sama was protecting me, so I wasn''t scared at all! I see. Put Angier down and make him stand. Light the area with the magic ball of light and see what''s going on. It''s a slightly open space, like an underground passage somewhere. There was nothing but a minotaur''s torn corpse torn apart in free fall. Where am I at ......? I don''t know, but there are wards going on, and this kind of underground passage isn''t natural. It could be some kind of underground dungeon, a continuation of the cave above. Is that so? "I''m just curious, let''s move on. "Yes, I''ll join you! Walk through the dark underpass with Angier. "It''s a little too dark, a little too light-- Just as I was about to increase the magic sphere of light - just as I was about to increase the magic sphere of light - something attacked me from the light''s blind spot. Quickly, with the back of my hand, I punched it away with my back fist. The thing blows off and breaks apart against the wall. Master Alec! "Don''t worry--they''re not done with me yet. "Huh? A surprised Angel. After blowing it up, I had more time to add two more magic balls of light. In the brightened subterranean passageway, I saw a hulk of flesh groaning on the ground, reclaiming its disintegrated state. Angel gasped. Gazing at it, observing it. It shattered, and then it stood upright, fully regenerated. A humanoid monster about the size of a grown man. Even after it''s reconstructed, its body is rotten in places, and its head has no eyes, ears, or nose, only a giant gaping maw. This is ...... "Ghouls--cannibalistic zombies. Already lifeless and soulless, and therefore a vexing monster that regenerates no matter how much it is destroyed. "I''ve never seen a ghoul ...... before. What should I do, I can''t believe that Alec-sama can recover after defeating him. "Ghouls are easy. It''s not just a matter of time before you can get your hands on it. Slashed from the shoulder by a kasaya, the ghoul crumbled and ...... fell to the ground. "Ghouls are vulnerable to the power of life. "I see! "Angel, how is your magic power?If you put a thin layer of recovery magic around your body, it will become a barrier. "Oh, yes!I understand. Healing magic is my specialty and I''ve been practicing it all my life. Normally, healing magic is done by "releasing it at the opponent," but Angel, who has been with me for a long time, is already one of the best recovering magicians in the Empire. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one. A thin layer of healing light surrounds Angel. "You did it, Alec-sama--Hyah! "Angel! For the second time today, the sensation in my feet is gone. Free fall again, this time pulling Angier in for a princess hug. ...... The second fall was short-lived, and my legs didn''t go numb when I landed. "I''m sorry Master Alec, over and over again. Don''t worry about it, I''d rather see Angier get hurt. "Yes ...... Mr. Alec!Ghouls! There you are: ...... and the mastermind. "Huh?...... ah. Notice I am told that Angel . . five ...... or even six . Beyond the six ghouls grunting as they approach, a man stands. He looks human, but his skin color is blue. It''s clear that this is no ordinary man. There you have it, mastermind. Well, Mr. Alec, you''ve been calling me a mastermind for a while now, but... "I''ve been wondering ever since I defeated the Minotaur. The warding was too strong for a monster of that caliber. But now I see. The warding was meant to seal him in front of me. "Time is like a river flowing by, with new waves constantly swallowing up the previous one. The man behind the ghoul quietly opens his mouth. He sounds like a pleasant, alert opponent. What do you mean by that? "It''s a saying from the East that says that humans are constantly evolving, "Oh, ...... Admire Angier, she still does not really understand its meaning. The man in front of me has been lifting up that I''m the wave from before - the wave that swallowed the previous one. For what--right. But I''m not dead yet, I''m not stupid enough to be swallowed and disappear intact. "Oh, Mr. Alec. Something about ...... this person ...... Angier''s words were a little shaky. She could sense that the man was not just a man. "They''re kids, be on your guard, come on. "Uncle ......, you''re a good actor, "...... what? "If you had gone straight here, you would have been fooled. What do you mean, Mr. Alec? If we fought at his bidding, it would have been too late before we knew it, because we would have run out of time. "...... A man who looks like he''s been bitten by a bitter bug. Angier, I need a recovery spell. "Huh?Oh yes! The shock of the fall had melted Angel''s recovery spell before I told him to start again. I applied a thin layer of recovery magic around her body, and Angel''s feet began to melt. Your feet melted, but they didn''t fall. The cavern, like an underground passage, melts, exposing its depths. Some internal organs, pulsing pink flesh. What''s this? The fall, the two falls, were because of Angel. Draws his sword and stabs the man straight out. "The ground melted by Angel''s recovery magic. I''m in my uncle''s belly. As if to prove my guess is correct, the man said, "d*mn! I grunted and twisted my face so that I could clearly see that it was an act. 68 The Good Man Destroys the Food Man Mountains The wise man drew his sword and cut the man in half from his body. The man crumbled to the ground. The man who had taken human form just moments before melted and was sucked into the ground as he vanished. It''s gone!What does that mean, Mr. Alec? Maybe ...... I pulled out a few strands of hair and dropped them on the ground. As soon as the fluttering hair touched the ground, it melted with a sizzling ...... sound. It melted!Ehhh! I knew it. Do you know what an insectivorous plant is?Angers "Yes, catch the bugs, dissolve them and digest them. ...... Ah! Yes, this place is like that. It''s a cannibalistic cave, not an insectivorous plant. Look at that one. That''s ...... the dead minotaur. You fell in together. They don''t melt, they only eat people, this cave. The situation had changed, so I asked the Philosopher''s Stone based on the newly acquired situation. It turned out to be a cannibal cave. The cave itself is like a living creature that only digests and eats people who wander into it. That''s right: ...... Oh, then we have to get out of here. I guess so. Let''s go, Angier. "Yes!Oh, Mr. Alec! What''s going on? "There!People over there! Angier pointed to a prison-like structure. As I got closer, I saw a figure caught on the other side of the fence. It''s a beautiful woman, her clothes are tattered and she''s slippery-looking, trapped in her cell. It wasn''t there earlier (), but then Angel approached and called out to her through the fence. Are you all right? "U....... This is ...... haha. The beautiful woman looked around vaguely, then hurriedly turned her gaze to me. People!Ta, please help!I slipped in the mountains, and the next thing I knew I was here! The beautiful woman was a desperate plea for help. Please!I''ll do anything! "Dear Alec! "...... I staggered up to Angel and stepped in front of him. And then silently waving my wise man''s sword. The whole fence cuts the woman on the other side of it in two. Master Alec? It''s funny that there''s a woman in here. Remember the warding we had when we came in? "Oh, Mr. Alec tore and re-stretched ...... "So it''s funny that someone is . So it''s funny someone''s there. And there was talk of a prank, but there was no mention of a missing woman. If people were missing, they would have asked me to look for them. "Indeed it is! "Besides, his clothes were tattered. If they were torn up like that, they would have melted through the skin that was in contact with the ground. Maybe he was going to dress me up as a thank-you for saving me. "...... Shit! The woman who was cut off from both sides swore and disappeared like a melting pot. It''s the same voice as the man from before. It''s also a dummy or fishing bait created by the cave itself. The... ...... Mr. Alec... What''s going on? "Why do you do the coloring? I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. ...... If you''re successful with your color scheme, I''m sure I''ll have to take off my clothes and stay here for a few hours, just to get my mind off of things, but it''s a little awkward to answer Angel with a straightforward answer. "You''re just trying to keep me busy. I cheated just fine. But it''s a dangerous cave. And they''ve been stalling us with this stuff for some time now. Maybe it''s been doing this all along. They confuse and eat anyone who wanders in, melting them. The cannibal cave, huh? "Master Alec?Let''s get out of here. If it means we''re going to be stranded, we''d better get out of here soon. "No, let''s destroy this place. "Is it destructive? "Yeah. I thought I could just seal it off with warding. It''s dangerous here. In the beginning, it was just a small prank to lure you in, but it''s really dangerous. A lot of people get caught off guard that it''s not that bad if it''s just a prank. "Ta, sure. The way you look at it now, this place is very well acted and versatile. If left unchecked, more and more victims may appear in the future. So I think it''s best to destroy the whole cave. Yes, it is!But what should I do? I walked a lot and I fell twice. I think this cave is bigger than the mansion--no, I think it''s bigger than your palace. That''s okay. Ange, hold on to me tight. "Yes, yes! You don''t know what''s going to happen, but Angier, as usual, listens to me honestly. He comes over to the side, wraps his arms around me and squeezes. I thrust my wise man''s sword into the ground. What are you going to do? Gathering and releasing the power of life. I know I''m not very good at this, so I''ll take care of it all at once. "I see! I''ll go to ...... then. The wise man''s sword. The magical superconducting properties of the babes. Infused with magical power. SSS-ranked magic power, which amplifies the life force of the philosopher''s stone. A healing light spreads around us. Melting from beneath our feet, each clinging Angel floats with flying magic. The light spreads explosively, and the cannibal cave is consumed by it. Eventually-- "Wawa, wawa!Hi, the mountain has disappeared! I was also surprised at this result. The power of life to erase only the cave. The result of putting it out there without hesitation. It was as if the plant had taken root in the ground. What we thought was a cannibalistic cave was apparently a cannibalistic mountain range. 69 07. Good people, restore mountains to their original shape "Oh, Honoree, Honoreeeeeee! With a muffled voice that could never be produced by a human throat, it disappeared as Kiri. In the midst of the chipped mountains, the remains of the Cannibal Mountains. I plunged my wise man''s sword into the lump of flesh half-buried in the ground and made it disappear without a trace. "Master Alec, what the hell is that ......? A split, or a bulb, or something. It was like the alter ego from the cave. "Oh, there is such a thing! Angier was greatly surprised. The sweat on her cheeks was from actually being in the cannibal cave. I wasn''t sure, but weren''t those caves full of cunning? Yes, I was trying to trick Master Alec. I was trying to trick Master Alec. Yeah, you were trying to trick me. So I was carefully exploring the cave after we cleaned it up to see if it was possible to play dead (). If they are similar to plants, they could provide a temporary measure of protection from the harsh environment. "Wow, ...... is indeed Mr. Alec. Angier''s eyes twinkled. While I was explaining, I was still exploring the ground. Using a wise man''s sword held against the ground, I was probing the ground. Cannibalistic cave dead and looking for any remaining stockings. I expanded the range to a five-kilometer radius over the whole visible mountain range, but it seems to be gone. Well, I guess that''s done. "Yes!But what shall we do, Mr. Alec? It''s going to cause quite a stir when the mountain is gone. I''ll be fine for a while. Why? It''s - hold on tight. "Yes! Angier clung to me obediently. I flew straight up with my flying magic. Ten meters, twenty meters, thirty meters... I climbed slowly, as fast as I could climb the stairs. "Ah! Angel raised his voice and then stopped rising. ''Mr. Alec!The bottom!The mountain is back, no it''s regenerating! "Calm down, Angel, it''s not a replay, it''s a hallucination. Hallucinations? "Yeah. I warded the mountain right after I blew it up. A ward that had the dual effect of a hallucination and an exorcism. No one would go into the mountain for a while, and from the outside it would look exactly the same. "Where and when did you do it? Angers surprised that I didn''t notice a large scale ward. "I did it secretly. They did it secretly so no one would notice. Why? "Pretending to be dead () might still be there. I thought they would show their tails if I just walked away and didn''t do anything. So I did this in secret, too, without them knowing. "I see!You''re a master schemer, Alec! No, it''s not. "No, Your Majesty--she''s always saying that. "Eliza? "Yes!Alec''s magic is great, but the most amazing thing is that he''s prepared for two or three moves ahead. "I didn''t know you were talking about that. That''s not so bad. By the way, your father, who was with me at the time, said that Alec-san could spare up to 100 moves. "Father, you''re not wavering, Your mother was furious with me about it. "Hmm?Why? "You don''t need to read a hundred moves with Alec''s help, you''re underestimating Alec''s ability to make a hundred moves for something. Your mother is still the same. All I could do was laugh bitterly. Your father and mother are the same. Born again, the couple''s comedy from the moment they dipped into the birthing bath. Twelve years have passed and they haven''t changed at all. Now let''s put the mountain back together while the boundaries still work. Can you do it - no, you put up the wards to look normal, because you decided to! "Angel is smart, It''s true. We wouldn''t need to set up wards if we were to blow up the mountain and leave it there. No, a man''s raid will do just fine. It''ll look the same as it did before, because they''re going to undo it. If you ward it that way, and it repairs itself while it lasts, it''s as if nothing happened. I descended a little bit with Angier. We go into the warding, but we don''t land. I see a chipped mountain in the air, and I put my hand on the wise man''s sword. Well, let''s do it. While flying, he holds the wise man''s sword. Since I got the wise man''s sword from Baboon Kane, its conductivity has made it much more efficient in terms of magic. I can use twice as much magic as I could if I let the wise man''s sword through. The philosopher''s sword is the world''s sharpest sword and the most efficient magic wand. Through the wise man''s sword, the magic power is concentrated at the tip of the blade. As it spiraled and gradually materialized, you made some minor adjustments to shape it. Before long, it was a ten-meter-square clear block. It''s like a giant jelly that you throw on the ground. What is it? "It''s the embodiment of my magic, in this case, a sandbag. Fill the pile with these for now (). "Is the magic of Alec-sama ...... but not the soil is okay? "Look. As a test, I made a small block, 10 cm square. On top of the block, I placed dead leaves that I had picked up in advance (). The rotting dead leaves were incorporated into the block and became part of it. Hey, this is There was a great wise man who was called the Mountain Master long ago, and his magic. When he healed a dead mountain, he would hollow out the ruined part and then add this jelly in its place. It is a magic that allows the mountain to keep its shape, and as time goes by, when new growth of soil, dead trees, grass, and so on, it will automatically take in the new growth, and the jelly will melt and disappear. "Wow. ...... "That is, Saying that, I made another 10-meter square block and threw it on the ground and plucked it next to the previous block. I will fill in the pile first, and then time will slowly repair the mountain. "That''s a gentle fix! That''s typical of Angel, smile back at her. Take a deep breath, now here''s the real work. Use your magic to create more and more jelly blocks, filling the pile and building it up. Every now and then you will rise to see the original shape of the pile, and shape it the way the blocks are stacked. ...... "What''s up Angel? "Oh, I''m sorry, Mr. Alec!I thought it would be fun to have a game like this. "This kind of thing is to make a mountain out of ...... blocks? "Yes! I see. It certainly could be interesting. While chatting with Angel, who has such sensitivity, we are repairing the mountain. It takes a moment to destroy and a night to fix. Wow, ...... I put the mountain back together in one night. ...... By the time the next morning sunrise came, the mountain had returned to its original shape. 70 08. Good people mass-produce beautiful women in hot springs The source of the prank that was plaguing the spa town of Zealhose has been eliminated. I told it to the people of Zealorse who came to me for help, but I blew up the cannibal cave so cleanly that there is no evidence that it was solved. So we decided to stay here for a while until they were sure that the prank wasn''t going to happen again. Well, just think of it as a little trip. It''s not every day that Angel and I get to relax at a hot spring resort. Again, after a morning hot spring bath, Angier and I wandered into town. Huh? "What''s up, Angel? "No ...... Maybe it''s just my imagination. I feel like I''m getting more beautiful. Hmm? I took another look at my surroundings after being told this by Angel. There are more and more beautiful people in the world. "Yes, everyone''s skin is smooth and beautiful. "I think it must be the hot spring effect. . and the yukata effect. "I see! Angier claps his hands together and is convinced. It''s true that there are more and more people in yukata. It''s on the rise. It''s easy to make, so it''s become very popular. "That''s what I''m talking about, Master Alec! I didn''t expect the number to have exploded so far. Wandering around the hot spring resort, looking at all the yukata. Yes, yukatas look good in hot springs. A little glow after a hot bath, the nape of your neck when you lift your hair, or your body line when you wear a thin yukata. Due to the yukata effect, the onsen guests look many times more beautiful than usual. "Huh?Hey Mr. Alec, there''s a lot of people gathering over there. "True, there are people doing street art. Let''s go. Yes. I went with an enthusiastic Angier to the place where people were gathering. I expected to see a street performer there, where men and women, young and old, were gathering, but no. Beyond the circle of people, an old man with a very serious look on his face was staring at the barrels laid out in front of him like he was about to punch a hole in them. The barrels were filled with colored liquid, and steam was rising. What is he doing? It''s like a spa in there. "Huh?It''s true, it smells like a hot spring. What does that mean? "You don''t listen to me, boys? Talk? "Yeah, yeah, yeah, look at that. The woman who was talking to me looked at where she was pointing. It was a public hot spring on the side of the road. A hot spring with almost no partitions, where guests feel at ease, relying on magical steam. Just then, a woman takes off her clothes and sinks into the hot spring. And then-- "Whoa!Oh, Mr. Alec!Beautiful, woman, beautiful! I''m surprised. ...... "I wonder what that means. The woman who entered the spa was instantly more beautiful than just before. What kind of spa is that? The woman who spoke to me, shocked at the sight in front of me, said, "That''s not the only one," she said. "That''s not all. "Huh? "The quality of the hot spring water here at Zeahorse has suddenly changed over the past few days. You can see that every time you go in, you will get a beautiful skin and beauty effect. Really? "Dear Alec, that''s why you have more beautiful women. "Oh ...... I see. I thought the increase in the number of beautiful women in the city was due to the yukata effect, but I guess it''s not. Hot springs have many benefits. Not only can they relieve fatigue and cure diseases, but they can also make your skin smooth. It''s amazing that hot springs can make you beautiful, but it''s not impossible. And you know what? The woman who just told me more. I''m having a specialist look at the hot springs and see if they''ve changed. Then he turned his gaze to the old man toward the tull. I see...so everyone has a look of expectation on their faces. The old man stared at Tal until his eyes were pierced. "I can feel a powerful magic from the hot spring that wasn''t there before. "Is it magic? The man standing next to the old man, presumably the man who asked for an appraisal, listens back. "Hmm, there must have been a shift in the earth''s crust. Something''s touched the water source, and it''s dissolving magic that wasn''t there before. It''s working in the right direction. "Nah, I see. "Here The old man took a vial from his pocket. He opened the lid of the bottle and poured the liquid inside into the barrel. A few drops in each barrel. After a moment, a gas rises from the barrels. It''s not just air, it''s magic sublimated air. Here''s what it''s made of. The people gathered around them cheered as they could clearly "see" the cause of the problem. "I knew I would be clean in this spa! This is a great way to bring in guests. "There''s a beautiful hot spring in Zeahorse! Maybe it was because of the large number of Zerhorse people, but most of them were cheering for the future development of the spa town. Meanwhile, Angel spoke to me in a whisper. "Alec-sama, isn''t that your magic? Yeah. You understand, don''t you, Angel? "Yes, I''ve been with you the whole time. ...... What have you done, Mr. Alec? "No, no, ...... doesn''t have to be ....... I remember the old man''s words from earlier. "''There must have been a shift in the earth''s crust. Something has touched the water source, and it''s dissolving magic that wasn''t there before. "Ah. Angier seems to understand. It''s like that jelly. That''s what I thought. "That''s great, Mr. Alec! Apparently, my magic power, which I filled to fill the mountain, dissolved into the hot spring, and it created such an effect that it changed the quality of the spring. 71 09. Good men beat monsters five times stronger "Alec-sama Alec-sama! Hmm? As I was relaxing in my room at the inn, Angier came running in happily. For a twelve year old, Angel is usually very mature, but it''s rare to see her so excited. What''s the matter with you, Ange? "Dear Alec, you have a guest. "To me?Who would come to a place like this? It''s me. Appearing behind Angel with a familiar voice, and entering the room was Eliza. It was Eliza in stealth mode. ''It''s been a while,'' Yeah, it''s been a while. What are you doing here? "I''ve heard rumors. Rumor of a hot spring that makes you beautiful. "Did you come here just because of a rumor? "Have you made any inquiries to Alec''s mansion? Eliza grins. You''re not going to come to a beauty spa just because of some dodgy catchphrase. Just remember your face the moment you try to dismiss it as "stupid". "My? "Yeah, I asked the house if you wanted to know what happened, and you said Alec is here. Alec has been there, and suddenly there''s a big change. So the change can only be true. Eliza, in turn, held up three fingers and said, "I don''t like the Father''s criteria. "I don''t like your father''s criteria. "What''s up with that? "Let''s see-- I explained to Eliza that I had been called here. I explained to Eliza that I was called here, that I found a cannibalistic cave in the mountains I went searching for, and that after I blew it up, I used my magic to rebuild the mountain. That magic power is dissolved in the water source and is effective as a hot spring - I told Eliza a series of things. I see, that''s why Angel is so clean. Eliza turned to Angel standing next to her, dressed in a yukata. "The effect seems to be working very well. You''ve become more beautiful in a little while, haven''t you, Angel? "Yes!Thanks Alec! When someone compliments you on your beauty, Angel is usually humble or even afraid. It''s my hot springs, so it''s rather gratifying to hear that. It really does seem to work very well. I''m going to take a bath in Alec''s hot springs, too. For some reason, Eliza stuttered a little at the mention of my name. There''s a hot spring in your room. I''ll wash your back, sister! "Well, let''s have a wash. Eliza and Angel, like two real sisters, went to the inner bath provided in the room. The inner bath in the room is also designed as an open-air bath. The roof hangs over the bath halfway up, as if it were a half veranda. Not to mention that the bath itself is spacious and comfortable, and the scenery is outstanding. Most of the view you can see is that mountain, which I blew up and remade once. Eliza was more interested in the view than the bath. "It''s quite nice. Eliza said with a satisfied look on her face. Emperor Elisabeth, the most discerning woman in the world, who could have all the luxuries of the world if she wanted them, said with a satisfied look on her face. Speaking of which, sister, you can drink from this spa. Can you drink? "Yes!A spa sommelier checked it out, and it seems to make your skin more skin speckled and your belly feel much less tender. You mean it''s a good way to lose weight. Would you like to try it, sister? Yeah, right. Eliza glanced at me outside the bath and said, "Normally, this would be dangerous and should be considered poisonous. Normally, this would be dangerous and should be treated with poison, but it is clear that the ingredients are Alec''s magic. "Yes!It''s the safest in the world! "I''ll drink it. ...... After the results showed that the spring was available, each hot spring was put on a ladle, and the hot water came out of the ladle and was received by the ladle and tried to drink it. When she was about to put her mouth on it. A view that would please the emperor. At the corner of the mountain there was an explosion. The smoke was rising into the sky at a great speed. A split-second decision. I passed them and stepped over the open-air bath frame. Alec? "You two wait here. Then kicked out of the frame and flew to the scene where there was an explosion with flying magic. I flew to the site where there was an explosion with flying magic. After closing the distance of five kilometers at a stretch, I saw the guards and the monster fighting in the mountains. You okay? I landed. The city guard of Zerhorse, two dozen men with equipment that I had seen in the city, half of which were already downed and motionless on the ground. Half of them are already down, lying on the ground motionless. The other man was a ghoul. I saw some man-eating zombies in the cannibalistic cave. You!Watch out here!Children should go home now--gg! One of the men tried to turn me away, but in a moment of averting his eyes, the ghoul lunges at him and bites him. My weapon''s spear snaps off in the rush, and the man is bitten on the shoulder. d*mn! Kick as hard as you can, kicking the ghoul away. The shoulder is instantly bloody when you forcefully peel it off. You need to get out of here. Monk, take the boy and run. But these ghouls aren''t the same as before, they''re getting stronger and stronger. It''s not just the Loids-- "We can''t let a tourist kid get hurt. Go. "......! The two of them continue to argue. I didn''t mind, but I stepped in front of them. You-- It''s okay. I said and drew the wise man''s sword on my back. "What are you doing! The man was surprised. "Whatever you do is dangerous!These guys are monsters, and they have unexplained enhancements. It was just as the man shouted. The ghoul''s speed and power have risen far beyond what it was before. There''s been a jump of about three times. Could this be because of the new hot springs? I''m sure there was one source over there. "d*mn. ...... My God. ...... The guard''s survivors were all twisted up. I stared. Well, maybe. The ghouls feel my magic in their bodies. They carry my magic on their bodies, like an aura of strength. It''s as if the ghouls that originally lived in this mountain were boosted by the magical source that contains the dissolved magic. That ghoul is rushing in--fast! Not three times faster, but about five times faster if we''re talking about rushing. It''s a different animal. Careful-- Crunch! A ghoul jumped into the air, and I sliced it in half with my wise man''s sword. A ghoul was cut in half at the waist, the lower half of its body tumbling, and the upper half of its body spinning in a circle as its own thrust and the momentum of my slash crossed. Another ghoul jumps in, slicing down with his returning sword, and I still cut him in half. ""......" The men of the guard were all speechless. He created a magic ball of healing power and shot it into the fallen men. Hmmm. ...... The men lying in a pool of blood groan and get up. I dive toward the remaining ghouls. My speed has been increased up to five times, and the ghouls are a pain in the ass, so I jump in with even greater speed and slash them down. I''m here! Being clothed in my magic, it is easier to sense than a normal monster. Sword of the Wise! (Pause) It creates a magic sphere for each monster it senses. The magic spheres began to spin at high speed, their spherical shape reversing to a distorted shape, and then flew out like arrows. Each pounced on a locked-on monster that it sensed. Nearly a hundred magic arrows rained down on the mountain like a hailstorm. 72 10.Good people detoxify monsters with a curse Crunch!and slice the ghoul''s body in two with a corseted sword. The man-eating monster collapses and twitches. and casts a spell over the corpse. A magic circle expands and envelops the ghoul. Bravo! Eliza and Angel. What are you doing here? Eliza and Angel, they appeared with me. They caught up with me as I went into the mountains to clean up the monsters. "I''m sorry, Master Alec. ''You''re going to wonder what happened when it popped up like that, right?Nevertheless, ...... Eliza looked at the ghoul she had just defeated, wrapped in its magic circle. This is a ghoul, and it''s almost twice as big as the one I know. "Me too. When Alec and I saw him in the cave, he was halfway there. You took it down so easily. What happened? My magic power, like the hot springs cleaning the women, has been boosted by the magic dissolved in the mountains. That''s why the guys downstairs were so battered. I nod. Eliza and the others had encountered that security force. And what do we do now?Annihilation is not the end of it, right? Hmmm, I don''t think so. Monsters are continually born where they are born, and it is my magic that has made me strong, and I''m sad to lose the effects of that spa now. Do you want me to take care of it? "Eliza? I look at her, wondering what she''s going to do. If the emperor likes the hot springs and turns this place into a kingdom of heaven, we can put a part of the royal guard there and we can do whatever we want with the monsters. "I see. I don''t do it for Alec or anything. It''s just a waste of the beauty benefits of the hot springs. For some reason, Eliza''s speeches sound like a good excuse. You may be an emperor, but you''re still a woman, and the effects of the hot springs that make you beautiful are hard to get rid of. What to do?If Alec says it''s better for him, I''ll have him do it in a minute. Let''s not do that. Why? The Emperor () has a bad rumor that as soon as the beauty hot springs were created, they would be turned into a realm of heaven. I want Eliza to be beautiful (...) "...... Eliza is surprised, and she doesn''t blush with surprise because she has correctly received the meaning of "beautiful". Eliza''s father, the former emperor, was a tyrant and a notorious man. I''m listening to Eliza''s ideals. I want her to be as beautiful an emperor as possible. It may be amusing to think of Eliza as a female emperor, but it''s not good. Okay, okay. I won''t do that. Eliza nodded with a straight face beside the ghoul, which was still wrapped in its magic circle. ''Sister, it''s okay. "I don''t know what it means, Angel. Because Master Alec is already on the move. If Master Alec is on the move, nothing is impossible. O Anger! O Anger! Why were you so poisoned by your fathers? He''s right. And you, Eliza, you too. I''m sorry, Alec, for barging in. No, it''s fine. Eliza and Angel, I could see the light in their eyes. "What will we do with all these monsters? "Sorry to both of you, but ...... "Huh? It''s all over. "What? Two voices. What do you mean it''s over? "That I point to the magic circle. There was a dead ghoul there, wrapped in a magic circle that has been there all this time. That''s ...... not just a dead body. "...... sister, no! Not what? There''s a monster in the magic circle all the way down. It wouldn''t take so long if Mr. Alec could only defeat one monster. "Ah, ...... Eliza noticed by Angel, she looked at the magic circle, and then at me. What were you doing (,)? "The magic ...... no, I guess it''s more of a spell. "Is a spell ...... a spell? That''s pretty close. Through this ghoul, I''ve put one property in every ghoul that will be generated in the mountains. "Characteristics? "Yeah--oh, see? Pointing away. The ground bulges and a ghoul emerges from it. It''s a new ghoul, just born. It finds us and attacks us, but... "I''ve drastically shortened its lifespan. I gave it more power and instead of lasting only three seconds, it lasts only about three seconds. You''re only born in the mountains, so three seconds should be safe. "I see!That''s what I''m talking about, Alec! You could do that too: ...... Angel praises me for being a good father, but Elisa opens her mouth with an open mouth. 73 11. A good man, clean up the person with red thread I was here all night, alone, in the mountains, returning them to the inn. Cleaning up after the monsters. There might be other monsters out there that will be stronger than just ghouls. I''ve been here all night, trying to get ahead of them. I caught a glimpse of it at the edge of the developing magic circle and flew low with my flying magic to get closer to it, only to find a minotaur I hadn''t manipulated (...) yet. The minotaur spotted me and brandished a huge axe to intercept me. Influenced by my magic dissolving in the mountains, just like the ghouls, the minotaur has more power and speed than when I fought it in the cave. I catch the axe that cleaves the tree with my wise men''s sword, and with my return sword I detach the limbs from the body. Curses the paralyzed minotaur. The magic circle wraps around the minotaur and succeeds. Now the next time the minotaur is born, it will have a life span of three seconds. This is a breath of fresh air-- "------! Something was rapidly approaching from behind . A being approaching at once from the edge of the magic circle of sensing, fast! Turn around and let the wise man''s sword slash with all its might--. Ah. The slash cut through the sky, and I chuckled as I realized the true nature of what was coming. It was a red thread. A red thread of fortune telling, so popular these days. I couldn''t cut it with my sword and it wrapped around my little finger. "Someone told your fortune. I asked the wise man''s sword about the crystal ball of red thread after the first time I did it with Angier. As I recall ...... it flies from the ends of the world regardless of the distance. (Pause) The wise man''s sword, which has recently learned to make simple declarations of intent, answered. The red thread came from the city of Zealous, but I doubt it really came from Zealous. I wouldn''t be surprised if it came from literally the edge of the world. After all, it''s an SSS-ranked life, so a red thread doesn''t surprise me anymore. Anyway--I made a crystal ball thinking that. Now that I understand it, I can create it whenever I want. When I touched the crystal ball, red threads came out of ten fingers. SSS rank life is full of red threads. Yes, I''m a little relieved. Relieved to see that the red thread did not extend to the mountain, I continued to clean up after the monster. Stars I''m home. Angier? When I came back to my room at the inn, the only thing in the room was Eliza relaxing in her yukata. I had an errand to run. "Messenger? By imperial decree. She''s the Imperial Princess. I see. So the princess is the emperor''s emissary. That sounds like a pretty serious imperial decree. Do you need help? No, all you need is class. Angier is all you need. "I see. I''m just asking. Which do you like better, Alexander or Carlisle? "Since they''re both my names--wait, this is not the time to ''just ask,'' are they? I had a bad feeling. I''m suddenly wondering where Angier is now. The Beauty Springs are completely Alec''s achievement, and I''m just going to tell my people about it. It''s going to be either Alexander Hot Springs or Carlisle Hot Springs. "That''s a bit of a problem, it''s hard to be embarrassed about it in the future. "What is it now that people are enshrined in the statue of a god here? Smiling Eliza. That''s true. "Why do you have that, by the way? "Hmm?Oh this crystal ball?I cut a little red thread earlier. "You slashed!Why? Eliza jumped up in a flash. She had been shouting and screaming, but now she started to panic. "I thought we were under attack. We were on the lookout for a monster. Oh, yeah. And you were able to cut it? I couldn''t cut it. Apparently a wise man''s sword can''t cut the red thread. "Yeah, well, I guess there are some things that Alec can''t do either: ............ I guess so. I''m rather a bit relieved. If I cut the red string, people might talk about it. Eliza, like your father, is determined to lift me up anyway. That''s exactly what they''re trying to name the hot springs after me now. ............-ho What''s going on? "Hey, it''s nothing, Eliza looked at me funny for a moment. I guess he''s not happy he couldn''t cut. "More importantly, is the monster clear? "Yes, it''s all right. In the future, this Zeahorse should not be attacked by local monsters. Yeah, good job. We should think of something to reward you. It''s ...... maybe not necessary. Why? Eliza wonders. I put my crystal ball on the table in the middle of the room and go to the window. I hear a commotion. From the entrance of the city, a ostentatious imperial carriage rides in, and Angel, clad in her imperial dress, slowly makes its way through the city. By the emperor''s order, the princess is an imperial envoy. It''s like a big ceremony with Angel moving through the city. The inhabitants of Zealhose and bathers from all over the city. Nearly everyone was watching her. My Angel was made even more beautiful by these hot springs. "Say it to yourself, right? "Of course I will. "So .................. I''m jealous. "Yeah, what did you just say? I said we''re going to name this place Alec Hot Springs. "Yeah! That''s too bad. I would have thought about it if you had asked me to stop at ''reward'' time. That''s just thinking. Thinking, but not saying stop. Sure enough, Eliza grins. "Am I clear? I''m used to it. I smile slightly, Eliza smiles. "Well, I''m going to take a quick bath. Yeah? Yes, I want to be more beautiful. "...... yeah The look on Eliza''s face threw me for a moment. It''s not her good looks or the effect of the beauty spa. I was thrilled to see Eliza''s lustrous smile on her face. Thus, the matter of Hot Springs was settled. The hot spring was named after me and my lovely wife became even more beautiful. 74 01. Good man covers the cliff A witchcraft school near the Imperial City. I was sitting in the principal''s office, facing the principal, Ethan, when I was told that I had an important matter to discuss with him. "What do you need a consultation about? As a matter of fact, we have lost contact with Biele College of Magic. "Biele School of Magic? Yes, like this one, one of the several schools of magic the Empire has where they study and learn away from the beaten path, with a special emphasis on summoning. "I see. ...... is a place that is designed to be an independent regiment in a pinch? Ethan nodded quietly. This school of magic is normally an ordinary school, but when something goes wrong, it is designed to serve as the last bastion of the empire. When the Emperor lost a rebellion or war, it''s literally the last bastion to which he would flee to rebuild. Knowing this, partly because of my personal relationship with Eliza, I''m more comfortable when the time comes. To make it easier for her to escape when the time comes, Eliza had a momentary move here... I have created a mechanism that allows you to come teleported, literally moving at a moment''s notice. Just like here, there is another last bastion called a magic school. No, no. Maybe all magic schools, big or small, are designed to serve that purpose. Judging from the word "out in the middle of nowhere", the place that Ethan has brought up is probably meant to stir outside when the need arises. You can''t just flee to the main house, which would be a helpless siege, without help from outside. I see. ....... You''re telling me you''ve lost contact with the Biele School of Wizardry. Yes, the nature of the place is such that you can contact them no matter what. I gave a small nod. That''s a big deal. And then I lost touch with you, which is impossible, I guess. "Yes, ...... and I''m sorry to trouble you, but I was wondering if you could check in with the Vice-Emperor. I am very aware of the impoliteness of asking the Vice-Emperor to do this, but I expect it to be quite serious: ...... Stammering Ethan. I know you''re counting on me. I don''t feel bad about it. Fine, I''m out. "Really?! "Yes. A small nod to me. Biele School of Magic. I hope it''s nothing. . Inside my magically autopiloted carriage on its way to the Biele School of Magic. I was sitting face to face with Xiaomei Mei. Xiao Mei Mei, a student of the School of Wizardry. Like the girls around me, she is growing up well. Her long black hair is becoming more beautiful and the magic she carries within her body is considerable. The life force and magic power have a fairly direct effect on the body. A person with strong magic power may not be immortal, but he or she will always look young. Contrary to such a body full of power, Xiaomei is naturally confident and frightened. You''ll be able to get a good idea of what you''re looking for. "That ...... Mr. Alexander, Yeah, what is it? "Those glasses are ......? This one? I grabbed the glasses with my fingers and swiped them up. They have no strength, but they have magic effects instead. These are glasses for seeing a person''s previous life. In a way. "A person''s previous life is ......? You know how they say that at reincarnation you are judged on the events of your life and ranked and then reincarnated? "Yes, it is common sense. It is so common knowledge in the world that the shy Xiaomei is quick to answer. It''s not just me who has the memories of my previous life, most people in the world know this. I asked the wise man''s sword if there was any way to confirm this, and I made these glasses with the knowledge I learned from him. These glasses let you see your soul rank, which means you can see your soul rank, or your past life actions. I just made them and I wear them to see things. "Made ...... is as good as Mr. Alexander After a pause for a breath, Xiaomei asked modestly . "Dear Alexander, what about me ......? "Xiaomei is a grade A. "A...... rank, is it? Tilt your head back and make a face like you''re not quite sure. Well, I guess you can''t tell by the rank. Except for a few exceptions like myself and Azazel, we''re reincarnated immediately after our assessment of the afterlife, so we don''t know about the ranking system to begin with. ''''It''s a very good thing. I think Xiaomei must have done a lot of good things in her past life. "Oh, thank you. "No need to thank me for that. I''m not thanking you for that, but I''m thanking you for being Xiao Mei in a previous life. I had some idea, but the effect of these glasses convinced me more clearly. She was beautiful to look at - she was guaranteed to be a beautiful woman. Moreover, Xiaomei, who can learn the eternal freeze spell in an instant and has an uncommon talent for ice magic, is an A-ranked reincarnation. By the way, if you look at Pee-chan with this, you''ll see that she was S-ranked, just as I had overheard. "You have great glasses. It''s fun to see all these people. After all, aristocrats and rich people are higher in rank. Good people are rewarded in their rebirth, of course. "Yes ......, What''s going on now? It reminded me of the ''silver plague'' we had hundreds of years ago. "You mean that great historical event that killed 10% of the human race?What does it matter? I believe it was a previous life of Alexander, the one who saved mankind from that. I see. But alas, that''s not me. "Huh?How do you know that? I was tempted to deny it, but I was careless. I have memories of a previous life, and I know it wasn''t me who saved humanity from disaster. In a previous life I was just a regular guy named Janty Kind. I have seen many people through these glasses, and from that experience, I know that my soul in a previous life - a previous life was a C-ranked act at best. I know that I am not a hero who was able to stop the silver plague, a catastrophe that killed 80% of humanity, in only 10% of cases. I know these things or I''m sure of it, but I can''t tell Xiaomei. I''m sure the hero of that time would have been a god. Oh, yes. Of course. It is also common knowledge that if you do good deeds, you will become a god and live forever, so Xiaomei understood. But In that case, Alexander will definitely become a god when he is reborn. "Ha-ha. He smiled at Xiaomei''s words as he lifted it up . It was actually a SSS rank that could become a god, so it wasn''t too far off the mark. One whole day in an automatic carriage, we came to our destination. Me and Xiaomei getting off the carriage. What we see in front of us is... "Is this it, Mr. Alexander? "Yes. "But ...... there is only a cliff, no valley Xiaomei was right, in front of us was a deep valley with no visible bottom, and we could even see the clouds along the way. It''s a ward. "Warding? "Yes. I nod, hold out my hand and produce a magic circle. Three colors of red, blue, and yellow appeared one after another, leaving one color, the others disappeared, then three colors again, leaving one color and the others disappeared. The process was repeated. Seeing this, Xiaomei had a strange look on his face. "It''s a code to get rid of the wards here. This is the last--here. After repeating the correct answer to each of the three choices ten times, the scene in front of you has changed. There is still a deep cliff and valley floor, but there is a solitary island in the middle of the valley, which looks like an isolated island. What appears to be an isolated island is actually a near-vertical rocky hill that extends from the valley floor. The isolated island is connected to this side of the shore by a single suspension bridge, which is not only magically bounded, but also physically cut off from the outside world. The island is a circle of about one kilometer in diameter and is surrounded by a cliff on the outside. From the cliff to the island is a straight line of about a hundred meters, and you can''t see anything below. It''s a completely natural fortress. Wow, ...... so that''s what it looks like! "Come on, let''s go. "Uh, yes ...... I tried to cross the suspension bridge with Xiaomei, but . ...... "What''s up, Xiaomei? "Yea, no, anything at ...... ugh ...... Xiaomei stopped in front of the suspension bridge and flinched, unable to step forward. This was a real shock. ''''Are you scared? "...... Sorry, the high ground I see. I thought for a moment and pulled out the wise man''s sword that I carried on my back. The wise man''s sword, made of baboons, not only works as a sword, but also as a magic staff. Hold it against the ground and place both hands on the hilt. You amplify it through magic to work your magic. Instantly, the world around you froze. The isolated island of Biele School of Wizardry froze everything around it, right up to the cliff. It was a circle more than a kilometer in diameter, but to reassure Xiaomei, he froze it all at once. ''''Now you''re safe. I''ve sealed it all up so you won''t have to worry about falling in. "This is ...... ice magic ......? Yeah, it''s that perpetual freeze magic "What? Xiaomei is puzzled. "What, a permanent freeze is ...... this range in an instant? His mouth hangs open and he looks at me in disbelief. "Yeah. Xiaomei uses a permanent freeze, so you know how hard it is. You can go through it without any worries. "Yes ......, I don''t even know if I can reach the other side in a straight line, but ......, so much ...... Muttering Xiao Mei, incidentally, crossed the frozen bridge and entered the isolated island of Biele School of Wizardry at the destination. 75 02. A good man can see at a glance the camouflage of a monster It was quiet inside the Biele School of Magic. There was no sign of anyone at all and a strange atmosphere was in the air. The air was so strange that Xiaomei couldn''t help but shiver with her arms around him. "Are you alright, Xiaomei? "That''s okay, Xiaomei looked around with a furrowed brow. ''''Master Alexander, there''s no one here at all . It seems. . and it''s not like you can''t see people, it''s like you''re never there. "Really? ...... Xiaomei started to be frightened and troubled. This is the first time for me too. With the Philosopher''s Stone and the Philosopher''s Sword you can gain all kinds of knowledge whenever you want, but it''s a different story when it comes to experience. It''s a strange feeling to be in a huge building like the magic school with no people at all, a first for me. . Let''s check it out first. Let''s keep an eye out. "Yes. Xiao Mei nodded, took a deep breath, and switched her face to a crisp one. I walked out with Xiaomei and came to the school building and peered into the building through one of the windows. It looks like a classroom. "It''s still funny, Mr. Alexander. Yeah, that''s funny. It''s like we were just in class. I left my textbook and notebooks open on the table, and I''m in the middle of writing on the blackboard. "There are no signs of a struggle. It''s like everyone just disappeared. "It''s getting stranger and stranger. I looked at several windows in a row, one after another, but they all had the same look and feel, like a person suddenly disappeared. "Let''s not just look at the classrooms, let''s look at the other facilities, "Yes! Stepping back from the school building to get a full view of the school, I headed there to mark a different colored structure. Along the way, we''ll "Dear Alexander! "Hmm?Oh, monster. Two monsters appeared out of nowhere. One was a two-horned rabbit and the other a gorilla with a face that looked like it wore glasses. Both are more than twice the size of similar types of animals, and the gorilla one looks like it has more power than the other. I''m going to take him down. Xiaomei stepped forward and chanted a spell. I taught her in magic school and utilized the Mupapato formula to boost her magic to the limit, creating several ice arrows from a glowing magic circle. Xiaomei, who is good at ice magic, let it go. I wonder if these magical and sharp ice arrows will work on those two monsters. ! My eyebrows shot up the moment I saw the monster. At the same time, my body moved. I drew my wise man''s sword on my back and dashed out, overtaking an ice arrow as fast as a normal arrow and knocking it down with my wise man''s sword. "Alexander-sama! "Wait a minute Xiao Mei What''s going on? I suddenly burst in and was puzzled Xiaomei . Meanwhile, the two monsters have escaped. There was no will to fight, they just ran away. I snapped up the glasses I''d been wearing the whole time and squinted at the fleeing monsters. They were both C''s. "Huh? "...... That was the human soul, "Oh ......, really? "Ah, the deeds of the previous life seen in these glasses, the soul rank, both C. And the rank C has always been human without exception. If it''s too high, for example, an S-rank, it may not be human. If it''s too low, you''re punished and made into a different creature. But a C-rank is, for better or worse, a normal human being. Why would a monster be a C-ranked soul? I don''t know. I didn''t know, so I asked the wise man''s sword. But the answers I got were too many. Because I have all the knowledge of the world, there are roughly 100 possible answers to the phenomenon of "a human being turned into a monster," for example. There are too many answers to narrow it down, so it''s as if you don''t have a real answer. Let''s wait and see. "Yes. Nodding to each other, I regained my composure and resumed my search with Xiaomei. It''s still not very popular. "Monsters are very common. That''s it. "They look at me and run away. Is it possible? Xiaomei looked at me. I gave a small nod and said, "Yeah, they''re all human. "Yeah, they''re all human. If I could catch them and hear their stories, I would. "Well, I''m worried about you running away suddenly and losing track of them when you''re chasing them. Xiaomei nodded, which is also one of the questions. They disappear, literally. If you''re chasing a C-ranked monster, it will literally disappear before you know it. I''ll chase it on sight and it will disappear in a flash, a very strange phenomenon that keeps happening. Dear Alexander! What''s the matter--much. Following Xiao Mei''s gaze, I saw a monster and a human ahead of me . It was a monster with a fish body and limbs, more than twice as big as the human we saw together. The monster was attacking the human. I was relieved in a way. What happened at the stalemate, might be a chance to break the deadlock. ............ Oh, I see. We gotta help! Xiaomei held out her hand and chanted a magic. The hand was aimed at the monster. I drew my wise man''s sword back and threw it at it. Faster than Xiaomei could unleash his magic. The wise man''s sword pierced the human. Alexander! "The monster is a former human. That''s the spirit. "...... oh Xiaomei huffed and lowered his hand . Yes, there had been several monsters with human souls in the past. Still, the simultaneous appearance of the human and the monster caused Xiaomei to reflexively try to unleash his magic at the monster to help the human one. () I defeated the soul of a rank G, definitely not a human, but a "human" with a soul to be punitively reincarnated into something else. I''m sorry Mr. Alexander. Don''t worry, Xiaomei, just do what you want. When I see you, I will stop you. "Yes ...... Xiaomei''s face colored and she nodded a little. ''''Speaking of which, you''re not running away. "Huh?Oh really. When the explanation was over, Xiaomei and I noticed that the monster didn''t run away like the others. Soon after, an even bigger surprise happened. The G-ranked soul humans I defeated gradually faded away and disappeared. The C-ranked soul monster was enveloped in light, and the human that peeked out from the light was the human I had defeated. It was the form of the human I had defeated. The word "returned" popped into my head. Apparently, for some reason. Humans and monsters seem to have been swapped. 76 03. A good person, see everything instantly "Yikes! Xiaomei let out a small scream and covered his face with his hands and turned his body to the side. It''s no wonder that after the light was completely gone, the man who appeared in an unconscious state was bare-chested. This is too exciting a sight for a girl around Xiaomei''s age. ''''Why are you naked? "I didn''t have anything on when I was a monster, so maybe that''s why. "Oh, really? The naked man suddenly appeared, and Xiaomei turned red up to the base of his ears. I found some clothes in the classroom earlier. I''ll go get them. "Wait a minute-- Xiao Mei said and walked away from the scene so fast that I couldn''t even stop her in time. I know it''s a shocking sight for a young girl. You could have at least made some clothes: ...... I can''t help but smile. There are a hundred ways to do it, even if you don''t ask, you can still cover it with dirt and cast a material change spell to turn it into cloth. You can do it all you want, but Xiaomei''s shame won out and she ran away first. I looked at the fallen man. I didn''t want to waste any of the clothes Xiaomei would bring, or show them to him again when he came back (). After some thought, he held up his hand and cast a spell. I just learned some magic in the city of Zealhose a while ago. A steamy, magical vapor billowed between the man''s legs. ...... This is even more disgusting. Laughing at the sight, I cast more magic. This time, I poured magical steam all over my body, leaving my face alone in the steam. I thought this would be okay and analyzed the situation again. There were too many possibilities to narrow it down by asking the wise man''s sword, but the addition of a new situation changed the story. A situation where souls were replaced. Defeat the monster that turned into a human and it will return to normal. Add these two points and ask the wise man''s sword. That narrows it down to two possibilities. The rest is a matter of real-time decision making. I''ve learned both characteristics and solutions by heart. Suddenly, I realized. Xiaomei, you''re late. ...... Xiao Mei, who had said she was going to the classroom in the school building she had just passed through to get her clothes, did not come back. Just when I thought we should go look for her. Two monsters and Xiaomei appeared together from the direction Xiaomei was heading. Xiao Mei (side Xiao Mei) I was running away. I was running away from myself, coming after me. I don''t know what happened. All I know is that the moment I walked into the classroom, it was pitch-black in front of me, and the next thing I knew, there was another me in front of me. And I''m in the form of a monster. I don''t understand, I was confused. I didn''t give myself time to be confused, and then a monster in my form, probably a monster, attacked me. It held up its hands, chanted, and shot countless icy arrows at me. I ducked and fled from the classroom and headed back the way I came. It''s Alexander. I have to see Alexander. I''m sure he''ll take care of it. So I ran hard the way I came. Ah. On the way, another monster appeared. Is this monster also human?But it wasn''t. The monster attacked me with an obvious intent to kill me. I ducked and dodged the attack. I thought I''d be caught between them--but it didn''t happen. For some reason, the monster that had just attacked me and the one that was chasing me from behind started fighting. I took the chance to run away, but it was only for a moment. As I ran away, the monster and a monster that looked like me were chasing me together. I wonder if it was a quick joint front, which only added to the pinch. I ran and ran and couldn''t get away, and the two monsters caught up with me and I was jostling for position. As I tried to escape somehow, I saw Alexander''s figure at a distance. Before I knew it, he came back to Alexander. Alexander sees me and raises his sword. (Don''t!) I had a bad feeling. In this situation, to other people, it looks like I''m being attacked by two monsters. In fact, it''s as if I''m being attacked by two monsters, but that''s not me. Alexander raised his sword. "-- I am!This is me! I tried to scream, but my voice didn''t work, probably because I was in the body of a monster. Now I understand why the monster (human), which was right after we entered the school, ran away from us right away. I had to run--I couldn''t move my legs. Alexander''s sword was much faster. Alexander''s sword, swung down, in slow motion - two slashes in the air, visible in that state of near-death. Without any hesitation at all, Alexander attacked the two monsters. I closed my eyes tightly. My instincts made me do it. "You okay, Xiaomei? "I''m sorry Alexander, Xiaomei is up here! Yeah, you look okay. Yeah, I fixed your clothes before I came back, so I didn''t see anything. "...... huh? I opened my eyes timidly. In front of me was Alexander. I looked at myself, and just as Alexander had said, I saw myself properly dressed. When I turned around, I saw two monsters lying on the ground. Two slashes, one right on the monster and one right on the monster that looked like me. In that situation, why? Why, why "You can''t go wrong with Xiaomei. Alexander said clearly. Kyun! I was heartbroken by Alexander''s words. 77 04. A good person secretly sets a trap I ask Xiaomei, who stares at me blankly. "Are you feeling okay? "Yes ...... it''s okay, "It seems that when you''re back in human body, you''re going to pass out. That''s the guy I just saved. "Faint!"? Do you have a connection to your memory? "Yes, yes I see. "Can you stand up more than that, Xiaomei?Yeah, you better stand up against your own shadow when you stand up. Shadow and back to back is ...... like this? With a curious tilt of her head, she did as she was told. Standing up and standing with the sun directly in front of her, she let her shadow go directly behind her. Facing her, you nodded firmly to reassure her. Yeah, that''s it. That''s what happens when your shadow and your eyes meet. "Shadows and ...... eyes meet ...... I know it''s a strange expression, but that''s the way it is. Yes, I understand. I guess I''ll just have to put my shadow behind me and not look. That kind of thing. "Mr. Alexander. Do you know what it is yet? You''re smart, Xiaomei. Yes, this situation - no, I know the name of this magic and what it does. And yes, I also know what they''re after. "So much! Xiaomei was astonished. The name of the magic is Hershel. The spell was created a long time ago and the effect is to replace the soul with a monster, just as Xiaomei had experienced. "How could you do that?" ...... "I''ve got a theory. Monsters are basically low-ranking souls. The theory is that they did something bad in a previous life and were turned into monsters to be hunted by humans to avoid the sin. That''s the theory. "I see. On the other hand, the rank of the soul is directly related to a person''s ability. Of course, to have a good life, you have to have a certain ability. Even if money is a good life, it takes a certain talent to make money. Yes. Then there was a person who wondered. What would happen if I put a high-ranking human soul into the body of a monster that is so strong even with a low-ranking soul in it? "Does that mean the monster will be more powerful? There was a group of people who tried to do that. As it turns out, it was right. No, it was even more impressive. More amazing results ...... "When a high-ranked soul () enters a low-ranked body (), it performs better than the soul''s original rank. What, how long is it? I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about it. I heard that the results were roughly one rank higher. For example, if Xiaomei had become a monster. If he had become a monster, he would have been an A-ranked soul, but he would have been an S-ranked power. "Oh, no. ...... The people who created a powerful army of monsters with Herschel''s magic, drunk with power, soaring through the air. Finally, they decided to take over the world. "Let''s take over the world Gulp, the sound of Xiaomei''s gulping down of raw spit could be heard. There is power in those words, they make good people nervous. Of course it was thwarted, at great cost. The problem is, I suppose, is that someone''s come along to do it again. And they tried to do it here, with enough souls, maybe most of them rank B and above, to get into a magic school. "I''m in big trouble! Yeah, right. A person who is turned into a monster, it varies from person to person, but after a month, the person who used the magic, the ''creator'', can no longer disobey and become absolutely obedient to the command. "Absolute Obedience ...... The group has come up with yet another theory. What kind of thing is that? Xiaomei, anxious about what lay ahead in the story . ''''What would happen if I put the soul of a high-ranking god into the body of a low-ranking human? "...... You can''t get rid of it and finally become pale. Well, I guess that didn''t happen. But we have established a way to create a stable, powerful, and absolutely obedient monster army. And now somehow it''s back. We''ve got to stop them. What should I do? Xiaomei turned pale and asked back in a trembling voice. ''''Hmm, let''s start with this. "Hey, like this? "Yeah, keep going. Well, that''s a bad idea, isn''t it? Xiaomei asked me quizzically. I smiled at her. Seeing that, Xiaomei became more and more curious. Slightly later, I started to move unsteadily. Slowly I drew my philosopher''s sword and let go of it in a fluid, fluid motion. The sage''s sword passed by Xiaomei''s face. It was a great feeling. "Oh, Master Alexander? "Hey, why ...... Behind Xiaomei, a hoarse voice could be heard from the tip of the wise man''s sword. ''''What did you think I was blabbing for?It''s for this. "Oh, ......, so Dear Alexander, keep facing me, ...... Smiling at Xiaomei. I stood facing her and talked to her while she stood with her shadow on her back. I''ve been watching my shadow and my long story is a trap. I''ve been laying traps, waiting to be caught. "Dear Alexander: ...... When Xiaomei got up, she looked at me with even more respect than when she thought she was saved. He looked at me with respect. Then I put the magic into the wise man''s sword. It will be tricky. Don''t kill, don''t let them escape. I saw it again as it attacked me, blocking every counterattack and escape route. 78 05. A good person easily wins against a S-ranked opponent It was an old man in a robe who was restrained and crucified in the air (). The old man is floating in a wide open position. There are double rings of light tied to each hand and foot. They are carefully restrained, like Astaroth, to a level where they can''t be removed or moved, even by a god. Of course the magic is repressed, and then the old man is asked again. "Was your grandfather the mastermind behind this? "Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hahahahahahahaha The old man did not answer, but smiled broadly. If he didn''t have his head restrained and secured, he would have looked up to the sky and laughed loudly. Hey, Alexander. "It''s okay Xiaomei, I''m not careless. Physics, magic, curses, warding, summoning. We''re dealing with all possibilities. All he can do is talk now. I restrained the old man even more carefully, even as I told Xiaomei to reassure him. I''m trying to anticipate every possibility and crush it, making it talk because I listen to it, but otherwise I''m shutting down everything else. "You thought you''d won, kid? "To answer my question first, is your grandfather the mastermind behind this incident? You''re a step too late, you look like a nobleman, and it would be an even better asset to receive your fine soul. But the ones you''ve given me so far will suffice. That''s not a good conversation. "I''ve been there. After the one-way exchange, the old man chuckled. Alexander-sama!People from the other side! Xiaomei let out an urgent voice. I followed her gaze and turned to the other side and saw a young man. The young man is slowly and carelessly walking towards me. He''s neither human nor dead. He has no willpower, and his walk is like sleepwalking. He just looks like a human ......, I''m sure. "Yes, will it be a monster again? Then you''ll have to take it down. "Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hahahahahahahaha The old man laughed again, "What''s so funny? What''s so funny? "Let the angels know, even the little boy? As usual, you''re not having a good conversation. A demon has been sealed in this school of magic. A demon named Markosius. Humans are foolish not to know that the demon was originally an angel. "...... No, I know. So was Azazel at the magic school over there. He was a former angel, but for some reason he was corrupted by the devil. The wise man''s sword wasn''t the answer, but maybe all the souls in the world are the same. You can rise and fall in the ranks, do good deeds and become a god and then somehow be corrupted by the devil. Oops, more importantly, what''s right in front of you now. So there was a demon here at the magic school, an ex-angel demon. God''s soul was never available, but ex-angels are everywhere. Thank God for the Empire! More agitated, the old man''s voice rises an octave. "I have succeeded in regenerating that angel and crushing it into human flesh. Look! An old man being crucified in the air. From the tension, it looked as if he was holding out his hands in a gesture of self-expression. That''s a man and not a man, an angel, but a being that transcends angels. I still saw a young man walking slowly up to me. I saw his soul through the glasses that I kept on. The old man was right, a soul of the highest rank, definitely an angel''s soul. When he was corrupted by the devil, he should have been a low-ranking soul, but he somehow turned his soul back into an angel, just like I did with Azazel and Astaroth. This is the perfection of Herschel''s secret formula, putting the soul of a transcendent into the body of a person. The old man, who had been speaking in a heated tone, like a speech, looked at me for the first time and spoke to me. You got your revenge, boy, for trying to get information out of me and freeing your mouth.Markosias! The old man shouted, and the young man freaked out and stopped once. It''s Niley''s camp. Let''s make a bloodbath of them! "Dear Alexander! "----! The young man with the soul of an angel roared up to the heavens. It was neither human nor monstrous, but a voice that was heard for the first time. It was so powerful that even its howl alone was intimidating because it was beyond the power of an angel. It was so intimidating that Xiaomei couldn''t even scream and slumped into a stupor. The next moment, the world was distorted. The power released from the transcendent angel Markosias enveloped and seized me. I can''t move. Rest assured, there is no pain. It will all be over in an instant. The triumphant old man. I heard about the "Nylie''s War" from the wise man''s sword. Nylie''s War is a method of fighting to ensure the death of a lower-ranked (...) opponent. Locking each other at the soul level, life force and magic are pitted against each other. It''s like a tug of war, a pure contest of power. The peculiarity is that once activated, it cannot be unlocked until one of you dies and you cannot move from one to the other. It''s a technique of overwhelmingly twisting down a distinctly lower-ranked opponent. The next moment I understood it all, the force was upon me. A rush of power that seemed to press on my whole body. This is the power of Markosias, indeed, stronger than any opponent I''ve ever had. More than the angel Azazel, more than the god Astaroth. This is the transcendent power of the angels placed in human flesh by Herschel''s secret law. The old man was triumphant. Next thing you know, phew!And Markosias spat out blood, staggered, and fell to the ground. As a result of Niley''s battle, I was unharmed and my opponent was killed. Where''s ..................? The old man, who had been triumphant just before, looked unsure of what had happened. He looked at the fallen Markosias and me in turn and was stunned. "Sorry, angels can''t beat me, The "become-- This one is SSS-ranked, a human who could have become a god. In a pure power match, we can''t lose to someone with an angel in their midst. 79 06. Good man transforms for the first time "B-ba, idiot!Markosias!Get up Markosias! The old man was left crucified in the air and screamed distraught. The human being in which the angel Markosias had entered fell on his face and gradually faded and disappeared. Is this the same as ...... that man? Yeah, Xiaomei. The soul of an angel went back to its rightful place, didn''t it? "Stupid!You say you beat it!That''s not possible. What did you do, kid! You''re not the one who latched on to Niley. I chuckled. "You''re going to tell me you''ve beaten that stupid ...... thing by force?Stupid ...... "You''re really shocked: ...... Xiaomei felt sorry for the old man. So much so that the old man looked shocked. He let the old man go. I can see from our earlier exchange that you''re not the kind of person who can have a decent conversation. "More importantly, Mr. ...... Alexander. Yeah, more than that, I guess. Xiao Mei and I nodded at each other and at the same time looked at the middle-aged gentleman-like man who appeared in front of us. I could see it through my glasses. It was the angel Markosias, freed from the human body, a vessel that the old man had shoved in. Markosias stood stunned. "Do you understand me? "...... I call out to him, but he does not respond. "Markosias? "...... What''s the matter, haven''t they returned yet? "Hmmm ...... I wonder what''s going on? The guy in front of me is definitely Markosias, and yet he doesn''t respond. I was wondering what that meant. Something''s wrong with Markosias. He''s suddenly in pain and his throat is clawing. As Markosias cowered in agony, Xiaomei approached him. Dear Angel ......? "Look out Xiao Mei! Markosias stopped for a moment. In that moment, I was thrilled. My body moved before I could think. I jumped between Xiaomei and Markosias, holding the sword of the wise man ready for whatever might happen. Markosias rises from his cowering position, and when he slowly looks up, his eyes are glowing oddly. Things change even more rapidly. Markosias''s body turned to light. What was previously a human form became a light and flew toward the day after tomorrow at great speed. I wonder what''s going on. ...... I don''t know, but I don''t have a good feeling about it. "Hmmm, hmmm ...... The old man laughed. ''What''s so funny? "You got it, kid. "What? Why do you think they put the souls of angels into human bodies? "Because it''s supposed to make you stronger, right? What''s the point now--no! It''s too late. "Huh! I jumped out. I used my flying magic and flew after Markosias, taking Xiaomei with me. "What is it, Alexander? Herschel''s secret, which is to make a high-ranking soul stronger by putting it into a low-ranking body, had more detailed requirements. "Detailed terms? The greater the difference between the ranks of the soul and the body, the greater the power. It''s the disparity that makes it strong. "The disparity ...... Oh, now there are a lot of monsters in this magic school! Yeah, you''ll be more powerful if you put it in a monster than in a human. And besides. "Yeah, and? What''s more?Xiao Mei, who looks at me like, "You know, that old man said, ''You''ve done it. "The old man said ''I''ve done it''. That means it''s not good for us and it''s not good for him either. Maybe it''s very bad for him. "...... I heard Xiaomei''s throat growl. I flew and picked up more speed. There it is! After jumping over several school buildings, a small pond and dense woods, I found the figure of Markosias on the ground. No, it''s a monster with the soul of Markosias. Landing with Xiaomei. She clung to me. "Pi, Pillings: ...... What was in front of me was a fluffy white furball-like thing, with lovely limbs growing out of the head and body hairball, with thin hands holding a club. It''s a monster known for being weak and cute, named Pillings. Being weak now turns into an object of fear. Pillings pounces on you and swings his club down. Grab the wise man''s sword and catch it. Pow! I caught it, and the ground cracked under my feet. The ground cracked and falling me and Xiaomei. Oh no! "Hold on, Xiaomei! He jumped up into the air, leaping over the ground using his flying magic, but Pillings attacked further. Like a rubber ball bouncing, he leaps into the air and comes at you with his club. They clash with the wise men''s swords. Boom! Antagonistic power, shock wave splashed . The sky was cracked: ...... Xiaomei astonished in his arms . Markosius'' soul-infused Pillings is undeniably strong, several times stronger than when he was in human form. Ha...... ah! Catch it and then compare strength. I tighten my grip on the wise man''s sword and flick Pillings away with all my might. Pillings is knocked to the ground, and we land on our feet. Just as Pillings landed, there were two humans nearby. Low-ranking souls, humans with the souls of monsters in them. Without hesitation, Pillings swung his club and killed them instantly. Pillings-Markosias. You''re indiscriminate. "Ri, is there no reason? Maybe that''s what the old man meant when he said, ''You''ve done it! "Ah ...... "Xiao Mei is a little away. "Is it okay, Mr. Alexander? Don''t worry, I won''t let it out of this school for anything. It''s still good when you''re inside this magic school. Maybe the faculty and students have all switched souls with the monster, and defeat it = help. But maybe the carnage is waiting for you when you get out of here. The Pillings-Marcocius massacre of the reasonless. Why do they let the angels become human? The old man said it was because the monster''s body couldn''t control it. If Marcosius, who has been punished to the point of being turned into a demon, flails about uncontrollably, the consequences for the next and final judgment will be even worse. So, stop now. Pillington rushes forward. Talk with your club, changing the flow of power and blasting it straight up. The Pillings is flying up so fast that he should be a thousand meters above the ground. We''ve got a little time before it falls. I thrust my wise man''s sword into the ground. I cast a spell on the ground in front of me, the ground is crawling. "What are you doing, Master Alexander? "Well, I guess I-- I continued the magic, looking for words to go with it. I made a homunculus, a simple doll made of clay. Then I use the secret of Herschel that I learned from the wise man''s sword. I transfer my soul to the homunculus - a temporary body of a lower rank than my current body. Xiaomei watched the sequence of events with a puzzled look on his face. "--morphing? . and so on. "...... wow! Xiao Mei understood what I wanted to do with such a respectful, inspiring look on her face. 80 07. Good people make angels with renewable energy After completing my transformation, I presented my original body to Xiaomei. "Xiaomei, can you take care of my body for me? "Yes, I''ll take care of it. Thank you, freeze me in a permanent freeze until I come back. My body is pretty much dead now. "--Ha!I understand!We''ll take care of it! Even while replying, Xiaomei has already finished freezing her body. You are quick to act, but you are also skilled in handling ice magic. ...... "What''s up with you, Xiaomei, staring at my face? Oh, no, no, no ...... well, that''s just not your usual Mr. Alexander. "Yes, I''m trying to make it easier for you to fight. Longer arms and legs come in handy in some cases. "I see. ...... Although convinced, Xiaomei is still staring at me blankly. I''m not sure what''s going on with her, her face is vaguely red. Mwah! Xiao Mei''s blushing face didn''t have time to think about it, but noticed something falling from the sky. He grabbed his sword back and batted it away. It was a mass of pure power--heavy! Having struck off, it is driven into the ground at a distance. Immediately afterwards, the earth shakes. Like an isolated island standing in the middle of a valley, this Biele wizarding school. The force of the blowing force caused it to partially collapse and crumble to the bottom of the valley. And then--Pillings-Markosias attacked from the sky. I caught his club with my wise man''s sword. My hand isn''t numb at all, but the ground can''t catch it and it cracks. ----! Let''s fight where it won''t affect us. Once the ground is hardened with magic, I then draw my wise man''s sword with all my might and launch Pillings-Markosias back into the sky. As it was, I used my flying magic to jump up and chase after it. A glimpse of the ground, still partly covered by the valley floor, has fallen down. The rim of the island, which had been gently sloping over the years, was cracked open just there, as if a full moon was chipping away. Jump high enough to not affect the island any more and then slash at Pillings-Markosias. The wise man''s sword and club collide, the aftermath diffuses, but you''re in the air, so you''re fine. Pillings-Markosias, unsuited to his small body, waved his other hand, not the one he was striking, and cast a spell. The sky blackened and a huge bolt of lightning came crashing down. What! The blitzes that penetrate the whole body are flicked off with gusto. Markosias sends more balls, their surfaces charged, flying. Cut off every one of them and then rush at Pillings-Markosias with the explosion on your back. Slash the guard of the club with the wise man''s sword, sending more shockwaves flying as it blows away. A clash of forces, the residue of which remained thick in the area. I fought a fierce battle, even with Pylings-Markosias, feeling the resistance gradually become like fighting in the water. (side Xiao Mei) I look up at the sky, and little by little, clouds are forming in the previously clear sky. The energy released by the battle between Alexander and the angels has crystallized into clouds. It''s terrifying. I read in a book that a god and a demon once fought and dissipated their power, turning the place where they fought into a dead earth where nothing was born. The demon of that time was called Shura, and the battlefield was called Shuraba, which was horrible and left nothing but bad effects. That is the origin of the word shura-ha. That''s why ...... Alexander fought in the sky. Alexander is very knowledgeable. He is so knowledgeable that I always feel as if he knows everything in the world. Even I am familiar with the tragedy of this world, and it''s impossible that Alexander doesn''t know about it. He fought in the skies to keep Biele College of Wizardry from becoming a wasteland. But ...... that''s what I''m afraid of. Even Alexander, who even transformed himself to fight, is still competitive with the angels. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. Before I knew it, my tightly clenched palms were drenched with sweat. . More than 20 minutes have passed since the battle began. The attacks of Pillings-Markosias, which had been fierce at first, gradually weakened little by little. As if in in inverse proportion to that, a cloud of magic power formed at our feet, so thick that we could no longer see the ground. It was as thick and solid as a rain cloud, with a high concentration of power that chattered when touched. Thank God the sky was empty. I thought, and flicked the striking Pillings-Markosias''s club. The power is clearly diminishing, and it''s time to end it. I''ll use all the magic raised by the homunculus'' body to pour it into the sage''s sword. Even though I poured my magic power into the SSS ranks--even higher than that--Hichikane''s wise man''s sword didn''t budge. Let''s go. (Pause) In reply rushes toward Pillings-Markosias, holding the sword of the wise man with both hands. The other side also comes at you rather than the other way around, clubs at the ready. They rush at each other, a momentary interplay. ----! Pillings-Markosias let out a strange scream and let out a splash of blood from his hairy body. It had been flying, but lost its power and fell. Falling slowly together in a flying spell, catching back on the spur of the moment. I enter a place like a rain cloud where the force is solidified. I slowly descend, putting up a thin magical barrier around my body to keep the power from coming to me (...). Halfway through, Pylings'' body disappeared and I let go of his hand. Then, with a start, you land on the ground alone. "Alexander! Xiaomei called my name from a distance. She wanted to come running to me at any moment, but she couldn''t because she was protecting my body. I approached her. Thank you, Xiaomei. "Is it over? Yes, be safe. "Alexander, you''re the man to beat an angel, and a stronger one at that. I didn''t beat you. "Huh?You haven''t beaten it? What does that mean?I turned around and looked up at the sky. I turned around and looked up at the sky. A mass of power, like a rain cloud. Slowly it faded away and the blue sky cleared. A figure emerged from it-- "The angel? Yeah, it''s Markosias. Xiao Mei on the ground, and Markosias in the air . Both of them looked at me strangely, as if they didn''t understand the situation. "I used the power I had against Markosias. "The power of ...... wasn''t that averting a shura? That''s partly true, though. I''d rather spend that much power on reclaiming the body of an angel than on polluting the earth. Besides, Marcosius is a victim, and it is possible that he may not have his original body anymore. "...... So that''s an angel in an angelic body and an angelic soul. It''s just an ordinary angel with lots of angels. Xiao Mei was even more stunned when she concluded, "So it''s okay. ''''The body of an angel is something that can be made ......? And then he looked even more incredulous. 81 08. The Good Man Relieves Instead of Angels Only if it''s physical. What if only the body? Yes, you can make a physical body as long as you have enough magic. It''s not difficult to make. This is true. This was the knowledge gleaned from the wise man''s sword. The body is easy to make, the soul is the problem. To create a soul from scratch would require a power greater than that of a god, a power of the creator god class. On the other hand, if it''s only a body, gods and angels do it every day. But the bodies of angels and gods require a certain amount of power. I remember that in a previous life, at the time of rebirth and at the Last Judgment, angels would get together and say something to each other. If I had accepted to become a god at SSS rank, those angels would have joined forces with me to make my god body. I thought. Well, anyway. This is how I made it. "It''s impossible to do that ......, because of the magic power of this ...... Xiaomei still looks in disbelief. Strength?Oh, that''s right. The body you just created, the power is not yet fully established and the surplus power is leaking out. Xiaomei couldn''t believe it, but he had created it, so there was nothing more he could say. Thank you very much. Meanwhile, Markosias, who had returned to his angelic body, came landing in front of me and bowed his head grudgingly. You saved my life. Are you okay now? Yes. You are the equivalent of a parent who saved my life, or rather gave me a second life. "I''m not doing anything great. But I''m glad you''re okay now. "Thank you. Once again, in a calm but firm tone, Markosias bows his head. Now all that''s left to do is to find and save the faculty and students at this school of magic. They are no longer in this world-- Cut the words off and let Markosias. It occurred to me that he might have been sacrificed to take him into human body. I''ve been at the Academy for a while and I''ve only met humans sporadically. The worst thing that could happen was that my mind began to wander. That''s not going to happen. It''s okay. They''re just back to what they should be. The way it should be? "The soul of the monster, and the body of the monster, is now in the other world. "Otherworld Listen to the wise man''s sword while muttering those words in return. Yes, this magic school focuses on the art of summoning. The monsters used in Herschel''s technique this time were all summoned. And those monsters will be automatically summoned back to the other world when they are finished. Ask the wise man''s sword at the same time as Markosias'' explanation, and the answer that came back was the same. Continuing the conversation with Markosias, playing real-time matching, he said, "I see. I see, that''s why I rarely met humans or monsters. Sometimes it was just stragglers... That''s what I mean. So I guess that means I can summon it. Yes, give me time. I can summon them all in three days. "Three days?If you summoned one - or two at a time, would it take that long? No, it''s just a matter of numbers. It would take three days to summon all of the faculty and students of this school, and then we''d have to take the corresponding people and monsters back out together. I''d have to sort out the corresponding people and monsters and bring them back together at ....... I''m okay with that. "Huh? No need to ask the wise man''s sword, the art of summoning is a pretty simple one. It''s something even a student could do, so it''s no surprise. I remember it in the basics I reviewed when I was a little younger. Build up your magic and deploy your magic circle at your feet. Summon all the monsters and humans associated with this school. I summoned them all. Up until then there were only three of us, Xiaomei and Markosius, and now the place is crawling with humans and monsters. Yikes! What, what Amazing two people. Lock on to the subject at a moment''s notice. The humans () were all locked on and shot with the magic ball. Souls were replaced by humans, and as many monsters as were defeated, the monsters also disappeared, and soon all that was left were the people who should have been shot out. Many humans were lying on the ground, all unconscious. As soon as I got back, I blacked out, I didn''t care because I already knew. I turn around and say to Markosias, "Well, this settles it. "Well, that''s settled. "...... Following Xiaomei, Markosias also became speechless and puzzled. 82 09. The Good Man Releases Tens of Millions of Souls Putting the two bewildered people aside for the moment, I turned to the fallen people. The staff and students of Biele School of Magic, who have been turned back into humans, are all naked. One or two completely naked people would be erotic, but to reach this level, all I can say is "spectacular". We can''t just leave everyone naked, we have to get them all dressed before they come to. "Mr. Carlisle. Before I knew it, Markosius came to me and spoke to me. What''s going on? Leave the minutiae to us. "Will you do it?Thank you. "I am delighted. Markosias faced the naked pile with a slightly happy look on his face. Chanting something to increase the magic. I''m sure he''s an angel, so let''s leave it to him. We''ve come this far together and I''m going to Xiaomei. Thanks for your help, Xiaomei. "Mr. Alexander: ...... What''s going on?You don''t look well. "Yes ...... I''m sorry, I can''t be of any help. I just ended up ranting and raving. I see that''s what you''re worried about. I saw that Xiaomei is shy and serious at the same time and that she tends to be a hermit. ...... That''s a problem, Xiaomei needs to be cheered up. "No, I''m not-- I had to ask Xiaomei for a favor, and if I''m not well, it will be too late for me to do it. "Wow, is that for me? Xiaomei is surprised and wide-eyed. But it can''t be helped that she''s not well. Until Xiaomei gets better-- "I''ll do it! Xiaomei shouted loudly and leaned forward, closing in on me with such force that I took a bite. What do you want me to do? "Will you do it?Now follow me. "Yes! I took a revived Xiaomei and headed to the spot where I had just had a momentary ground battle with Pillings Markosias. It''s on the outskirts of an isolated island, crumbling in the aftermath of the battle. Ah, this is ...... I was thinking that we need to get this place back on track. I was thinking that Xiaomei''s permanent freeze is not a stopgap measure, but a complete solution, so I thought I''d ask for it. I''m glad you did. ...... I''ll take care of it! Xiaomei became more energetic and enthusiastic. She spread her legs a little, closed her eyes and stuck out her hands in a pile. The long black hair fluttered with the magic of the mupapato style. Strong and beautiful. I thought so at the sight of Xiaomei. She used the magic she had raised to her limits to rebuild the area of the collapse with permanently frozen ice. Good work, thank you Xiaomei. "--Yes! Xiaomei looked extremely happy and smiled like a big flower. Xiaomei''s confidence and sense of accomplishment is one of the most beautiful women I know. It was so beautiful that my thoughts leapt to the point of wanting to make her more confident, and to do this specifically. The ...... It didn''t let me indulge in that thought. A man''s voice came from behind me. I turned around and saw a man of about five years old standing there, talking to me fearfully. "And you are? My name is Jack. I''m the principal of the Biele School of Wizardry. You were a principal, weren''t you? "Thank you, Vice-Emperor. Jack said and bowed deeply. He''s the principal of the magic school, he should know about me. But more importantly. Do you remember what happened? "Yes, all of them here, all of them. ""Thank you! "Wow! From further away from Jack, a chorus of thanks could be heard. I was startled by the sudden loud voice. By the volume and the amount of voices, I''m guessing that most of the faculty and students are awake and say in unison, "You''re welcome. You''re welcome. Is there anything else I can help you with? That''s ...... I do. Jack slumped apologetically. I heard it because I could see it on his face. Unlike the wise man''s knowledge of swords, after years of experience, I have an inkling of whether or not the person in front of me is in trouble. So I asked, and it was a no-brainer. "Would you come over here? "Yes. I gave a small nod and followed, with Xiaomei following close behind. Jack led me back to the wizarding school officials who had regained consciousness. The common thread in most people''s eyes was a mixture of gratitude and confusion. I wondered what was wrong. It''s this one. Jack led us to a place where there was something human-like. Definitely human in shape. A beautiful human being, about five feet tall. But it''s neither male nor female, neutral in appearance. It is lying on the ground on its back. It looked, or rather, was externally human, but the material was not. A crystal. Inorganic and translucent, it''s not human or even alive. What is this? "I don''t know. It was there with us when we woke up. I asked around, and no one knew who we were. "I see. After all that, it''s weird. "...... I nodded silently and stared at the crystal. It was a strange sensation. Or, I should say, a look. What I could see through my glasses was definitely a human soul. But unlike ever knowing the rank of any opponent, no matter what I saw of the angel Markosias, I did not know the rank of that soul. Or rather, it might be more accurate to say that it keeps changing by the second. A soul changing by the second, that''s what I saw through my glasses. Jack and the others from the wizard school looked at me with expectation and a sense of longing. I thought for a moment, and the wise man''s sword listened too. Then he pulled the sword from his back and slowly, almost touchingly, thrust it into the crystal. "--! In a moment, the whole world changes before your eyes. It becomes a dazzling white space, surrounded by light. From there, countless things took off into the sky like balloons. Every time one of them flies up, a "thank you" can be heard. Countless "thank yous" flew off from the sky. The number wasn''t tens or hundreds, it was tens of thousands, or even a hundred ---- or even ten million. It was a certain number. Liberation. The words emerged from the scene in front of me. The liberation of more than ten million souls. Just as I thought that, a rare spontaneous gift of knowledge came from the wise man''s sword. The silver plague. The ten percent of humanity killed by it is roughly equal to the number in front of me. That many, the common denominator being Herschel''s magic. It was hard to believe that there was no ...... connection. I was convinced. The crystal dolls were the souls that were sacrificed then held captive and unable to ascend. In other words. That is, the souls sacrificed in the silver plague were finally freed after more than a hundred years. At last, they had been freed after more than a hundred years. 83 10.The Good Man, the Golden Age There was neither heaven nor earth, but I looked up to the sky with my senses. The ascending souls gradually gathered into one like a river flowing, and those gathered things eventually took the form of a bird. The white soul bird flapped its wings divinely and disappeared into the sky. It was a fantastic sight. And then my vision was blurred. The back of my eyes were tingling. The next thing you see is another change in your vision. This is it! I couldn''t believe my eyes. I saw the other world. When I died, I saw the other world where I stood at the Last Judgment. There was a long line back then, too, and now it''s much longer and more crowded than that. No, it''s more than that. "Am I dead? Why?I thought, but it looks like it''s not. One of the angels rushes towards me and bumps into me!And then it slipped through my body. I was surprised. I tried to touch the people in line around me, but I didn''t. I looked at my hand, and it was translucent and translucent across. I look at my hand, which is translucent and faintly translucent. Apparently, I didn''t just get here. Then why? Just as I was thinking this, a conversation jumped into my ears and my attention was drawn to it. The review is over, the next life is A-rated. Would you rather have a talent or be born into a privileged environment? "With talent! A B-grade, you were born in a little better place. Have a good life. "Yes! "Hundreds of years of enduring () A, including the addition of (), is there any hope? "I''d like to have an easy, Tanabata, easy life. I could hear the interactions of both the judges and the judged. Unlike when I actually came in, most of the judging was loose with A or Bs. Not all of them ranked this high, I chuckled. My vision became even more blurry and my eyes were rolling back. And then the view in front of me changed again. Now it''s back to the same place. Biele School of Wizardry, back in front of everyone. I wondered what the hallucination was all about. "".................." Those who were there. The faculty, the students, they were all very upset. What''s the matter with you? He listens but doesn''t respond to me. After a while, people start buzzing around as if they''d been hit with water. Did you see that? "Mitimita, was that the last judge? You said something more interesting than that?Hundreds of years of patience or something. "Huh? I was surprised to hear the content of the rustling. Searching through my memory, there was indeed such an exchange. "You mean ...... the large number of souls you just released will now be born with higher ranks? In response to someone''s murmured words, those present were even more disturbed. The imperial capital, the royal palace . I was summoned to the audience chamber, where I was face to face with the Emperor Elisabeth. Dressed in the imperial robes, I bowed to Elisa on her throne in the formal manner. "Alexander Carlyle, I have come to accept your summons. "Face up, Sir Carlisle. Thank you. So, Your Majesty, what can I do for you today? I''ve heard the stories and I''ve heard the rumors. "Stories and rumors, is it? Eliza noddeddeddeddeddeddeddeddeddeddedly. "Ethan and Jack, I''ve heard from the two principals. You have averted a crisis for the Empire, and indeed for the world. That''s the Empire''s vice-president, Carlisle, the guardian of our Empire. The protector of our empire. I''m grateful for the compliment. I expected this trend. I expected the praise in an official capacity, since Ethan asked me to solve a historically dangerous problem called Herschel''s Jutsu. I did that (), but. So what are the rumors about? It seems that nearly everyone in the world could see it. "...... Huh. It''s an obscure phrase, but I can only think of one explanation. A white bird flew by and I saw the scene of the Last Judgment, that. You could see me, you could see the faculty and students of Biele School of Magic, and you could see Xiaomei. And not only that, the whole world saw everything that was going on in that moment. I saw it too. Eliza was also. "It could just be a hallucination. What''s true, or rather true, is that what you see is what you experience. "...... It may be so. At least most of what I saw thought it was true. "I see. "It was a trigger, Eliza speaking in hearsay. Here''s what the rumors say. I hear there''s an unprecedented fertility boom going on right now. The reason is that if you have a child now, there''s a good chance you''ll have a talented one. Most humans have seen it, and the people say it was a sign from God. There''s no better time to have a child than now. I didn''t know it was going to happen. This is your achievement, Lord Carlisle. Eliza rose from her throne and came toward me. The other ministers and soldiers in the audience room were all exclaiming at the same time, "Oh! When the emperor wears the imperial uniform, he does not move about. The emperor must remain firm and composed. When they move, they exercise their authority. The emperor, who would ordinarily remain still from his throne, has come down and is coming at me. I naturally fell to my knees and leaned my head back. Eliza wants to do something, and I want to let her do it. So naturally I got on my knees. Eliza stopped in front of me and gently put her hands on my head. Talent makes a country strong, and you have given the country a ''future'', a bright future. I''m sorry. "I declare in the name of the Imperial Emperor, Elisabeth C. Forsyth. In the name of the Imperial Emperor, Elisabeth Shih-Forsize. Eliza took a breath there, took a deep breath, and declared clearly, "Father of the Nation, Father of the Empire. "I give you the title of Father of the Nation, Father of the Empire. There were cheers from all around. I was surprised, I never thought it would be such an outrageous title. ...... grateful happiness I received the title of it, which Eliza would like to do, while smiling. Thus, I received the title of Father of the Nation on top of the Vice Emperor. In addition to the vice emperor, I received the title of Father of the Nation. . Gradually it became known that the "God''s revelation" was true and that for a while the children born were more gifted than ever before. The empire rightly spread the truth. Alexander Carlyle, the father of our nation, who led us from the silver plague to the golden age. It would eventually become known, and the history books would clearly state it. But that''s another story for some time to come. 84 01. Good person, godfather and popular person It was a sunny afternoon in the garden of the mansion, Angel, Mia and I were relaxing in the garden. While the two girls were chattering away at their sweet treats, I was leisurely drawing knowledge from my wise man''s sword - studying. It was a leisurely, easy time, but it didn''t last long. My brother-in-law! A man whose name is synonymous with gung-ho - Hossen Cho-hee comes through the front gate with his carriage. Leaving the carriage with the house servant, he comes storming towards you with his legs wide open. What are you doing, brother-in-law, making babies? Hossen glanced at both Angier and Mia and said something like that. It was a sudden remark that had nothing to do with the word "delicacy. Hossen Chohi. He is known as one of the strongest warriors in the empire, a typical heroic type, uninhibited and open-minded. "This is not the place to do it, is it? "Really?It''s also an a**h*le. He is easy to get along with like a broken bamboo, but he is also a bit of a jerk to the girls. As evidence of this, Angier, who is finally getting used to it, smiles and Mia, who is a little frightened by the pressure, says: "Lower your voice a little bit, Mia is scared. "Lower your voice a little bit, Mia is scared. "Oh?Why, what are you afraid of me? "Ugh ...... I guess I wouldn''t be scared if Hosen were the enemy. What''s that? Hossen became more and more curious as I answered for him. Mia is a brave girl, though she would boldly stand up to an enemy. That said, I remember the first time I met Calamity, Mia. That time Mia was nothing short of brave. But I have a weakness for people like Hossen, who are scary but not my enemies. I see. It''s in your personality, "Uh-huh. ...... Right after apologizing to Mia for his crisp personality, Hossen, the thought of it no longer crossed my mind. He turned to me and stared straight at me - unusually straight and strong eyes. "To tell you the truth, I have a favor to ask my brother-in-law. A favor? Oh, only my brother-in-law can do that. A lifetime of begging! The look on Hossen''s face was true. Some people have a "lifetime request" that changes every day, but not Hosen. It''s the first time, and his words carry weight. It really is a lifetime request. I pulled myself together. Okay, I''ll help you in any way I can. "I see!Thank you brother-in-law! Hossen grabbed my shoulder firmly. The strength of his fingers digging into my shoulder felt like a direct result of his happiness. "Hey!Come here! Horsen called out to the back and the servant of the mansion slowly pulled the carriage he had come in and led him to it. As he looked around to see what was going on, Horsen went to the carriage and reached out his hand to let the person in the carriage down. There was still someone in the carriage. Using the carriage step provided by the servant, one, two, three and so on. A total of three beauties were unloaded from the carriage. The three women were brought to Hossen and lined up in front of me. I didn''t know what they meant, so I asked Hossen. "Who are these people? My side of the house. "I see. There was no question about it. An imperial general, the most powerful warrior. Horsen, a man of rank and power, a heroic type. So it''s not surprising that he would say that three beautiful women are his entourage. A powerful and high-ranking man is popular, so it doesn''t surprise me that there are ten times as many vassals as this one. "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Alexander Carlyle. It''s always good to have you here, Mr. Hosen. I greeted the three of them. After I did so, they began to awash in panic. Meanwhile, Hossen looked up at the sky and laughed loudly. "Ha-ha-ha, that''s fine, brother-in-law. No, I''m not going to do that. If you call me brother-in-law, these people are my brother and sister-in-law, so you have to say hello. Oh, well, that''s my brother-in-law. More importantly, why did you bring him here? That was my first question. Never before had Hosen brought his wife to the house. Now all of a sudden, three of them. Oh, to tell you the truth, these three are pregnant. "Wow! Congratulations ...... Angier and Mia reacted simultaneously. They both stared at the three Horsens'' side rooms with sparkling eyes. "Congratulations, that''s awesome. Ha ha, brother-in-law. I''m going to take advantage of the possibilities my brother-in-law has created for me and have a super strong child. "Ah, ...... I see, I thought. There''s an unprecedented boom in fertility and childbearing these days. It was that incident at the Biele School of Wizardry, and Hossen got in on it too. And here''s the thing. "Yes. Pull yourself together and stare at Hossen. His "request of a lifetime" is coming. "I want to be godfather to these three kids. "Go to ..................? It was so unexpected, I just shrugged my shoulders and made a funny noise. "What, godfather? Yeah, I want my brother-in-law to wear it. My brother-in-law will make a great kid out of you, I''m sure. "...... Oh, I see. Just a little bit of convincing. My name, Alexander, also comes from the founder of the Carlisle family, the hero Alexander. Giving a name means giving expectations on a name. So the act of giving a name can be a reward or an honor. It is not unusual for royalty and nobility to name their rewards. In some cases, it''s an even greater reward than a vast estate. Conversely, it''s an honor to be asked to be a godfather. It''s a bit strange because we didn''t have anything like that in our previous lives. "Hey, come on, brother-in-law. Hey, you guys do the right thing. ""Please! The three side rooms were in perfect harmony and bowed to me. It''s hard to say no when you say it that way. But I don''t know how to follow you if you just say it out of the blue. I thought for a moment and then said. Can''t you wait until after the baby is born? "Since birth? Yes, I don''t know if it''s a boy or a girl, and I want to name it right, so I want to see its face. "...... Poppycock, and become Hosen. Was that bad?I thought. ''Oh my God!That''s my brother-in-law! What a man crying. Thank you, thank you, brother-in-law! ""Thank you! The Hossens were quite impressed. It''s a big responsibility, and both Angel and Mia are in trouble, so we have to fix this situation first. At that moment. "Alec and Hossen. What''s going on here? Father. Oh, you? Father came back from outside and came toward me in a straight line, not toward the house. Incidentally, Hossen''s tears, which had been crying like a man, stopped instantly. This kind of heroic type has a wide range of emotions and a high-performance brake. Welcome home, father. What is that in your hand? Yes, a letter from the Marquis de Rose. "Marquis de Rose, is it? It''s for Alec. "I am? For what it''s worth, they want Alec to be the godfather of their unborn child. "Ga-ha-ha Hossen looked up at the sky and laughed out loud. That''s a sight for sore eyes, Rose! No, I don''t think so. Why? Hossen stopped laughing and looked at his father with a straight face. "There are a lot of people out there who would like Alec to be their godfather. You don''t have to--. Yes, there is. ...... Hossen nodded as if it were a matter of course. "It''s not a far-fetched idea, of course. In fact, in this case, you have the courage to ask. "Oh!That''s right! Hossen clapped his hands. Father and Hossen, their usual thing () began. There is no end to this, so I beckoned for the maids and led Hossen''s entourage into the house to keep them cool. 85 02.善人、ＳＳランクの父親に内定する I walked out of the guest room. You can hear the women talking, even through the walls. Inside the room are Hossen''s three entourages, Angier and Mia. A pregnant woman appears in the house for the first time since Angier and Mia arrived. They are both curious about the pregnancy and the baby, and they''ve heard a lot of stories. I leave them and the maids to deal with the side rooms and I leave the room. Oh!Here''s my brother-in-law! From across the hallway came Hossen with a big stride. His father is following behind him. I left them to their excitement for now, but he came after me from across the hall. "What''s the matter? What the hell, I see the stars. "Stars? I looked out the window. It was a clear afternoon, and the shadows were still short. It''s daytime now? "Alec is right, but the stars are still visible. Father said with a straight face. If only Hossen had said, "You''re drunk. I suspect that the heavy drinker is mistaken, but I''m curious if your father is too. Which sky is it? "Oh, follow me. Hossen jerked his thumb, turned and walked away with a big thigh. I followed him, and my father followed along as a matter of course. "Speaking of which, Oh, what It''s nice to see the stars, but how did you get it from me? I looked at both Hosen and Father in turn. After I walked away, I realized that even if I had seen a star in broad daylight, they didn''t have to let me know about it. So it bothered me, but... What are you talking about, brother-in-law, it''s broad daylight.That''s definitely a harbinger of things to come. And if something happens to manifest itself, Alec could be the only one to solve it. "Oh!I''d like to see that, though. "Wait and see, you will be seen. "That''s right too! Father and Hossen, the two of them would laugh out loud if they said such a thing to each other. Apparently, it''s a "natural" thing for ...... me to be notified. The two of them laughing, smiling at the usual two people, went out the front door through the hallway and came around the mansion to the other side. There they stopped and Hossen pointed to the sky. "There it is, "...... wow, definitely brighter This was amazing, it was just as bright as Hossen and Father had said. That said, though - and I thought so until I got here - the stars were actually bright in the sky when I looked up. Sometimes the moon comes out in the daytime too. The moon is more subdued than at night, but still bright enough to be clearly visible in the daytime sky. The star that appeared in the sky was brighter than the moon at those times. It was small, but it was almost as bright as the sun. Hey, aren''t they bright? Yes, this is a surprise. It just appeared out of nowhere, Alec. Whenever these freaks appear, it''s usually an omen of something. I responded to your words with a clear nod. If you go through history, you will certainly find that this is often the case. I hope that something will happen ...... I hope it''s not something bad. I hope it''s not something bad. Ah, it''s gone. "Huh? Startled by Hossen''s words, I looked up at the sky again. Without warning, the star, which was small but shining as bright as the sun, trailed off and began to stream out. Suddenly a bright star, a shooting star. More and more I thought something was about to happen, but... It''s coming my way! Mwah! A spur-of-the-moment warding. Whether the shooting star was physical or magical. Either way, I put up double wards to prevent them. Not just around us, but in the mansion. There''s anger inside that house. We set up a barrier that extends to that side and waited. The meteors got closer and closer and slipped through the barrier. "Nah! Surprised, I was thinking about what to do next. "Nice to meet you!That''s it. A girl appeared in front of me. She was about sixteen years old, a girl of nobility and brightness. This girl was not human. What are you, you''re transparent. "A ghost, is it? Hossen and Father, they looked at the girl with a straight face. The girl ignored them completely and came to look only at me. "You must be Alexander Carlyle. "Yeah, I do, but ...... you? "Hurry up and have a baby! "I''m not so sure about this, showing up out of nowhere. Can you at least explain it to me so I can understand it? Listen back with a bitter smile. I''m a ghost, the one to be reborn. I''m a ghost, the one to be reborn. "Huh. So, if you get judged in the afterlife, you''ll get an SS rating?I was told. That''s great. It''s not every day you get to do that. "Sounds great. Apparently, she''s the only one in this batch of 10 million people. The SS. ...... so. Ten million this time. It''s definitely a large number of souls released by the silver disaster. So the girl in front of me is one in ten million highly ranked souls who have done the most good deeds out of the ten million. When I think about it, I''m beginning to think she''s amazing. She asked me what I wanted to do, and I said, "Human next time. Yes. That sounds like something I''ve heard before. Then they say there''s only one place for an SS rank to be born human. "...... Is that maybe... "Yes! The girl nodded with a big smile. "Apparently, being born as your child is the life of the SS. That''s right. "Awesome, awesome brother-in-law! "Are Alec''s children the happiest reincarnation in the world? ...... Of course! Both father and Hossen''s eyes sparkled with excitement. Thanks to the fact that the whole world was able to see the judgment of the other world (and of course, father and Hossen saw it too), they were both very excited and convinced of the "rank". 86 03.善人、幽霊のハートを射抜いてしまう Inside the mansion, in my office. Next to me as I was writing, a ghost girl hovered in the air and hovered around me, "Hey, hey. Hurry up and have a baby. Hey, Daddy. Not now. The girl winked at me up close, but I immediately dismissed it. Why?You''re a nobleman, you''re not old enough to have children. "I have a wife named . Her name is Angier. I''ve decided she''ll be my chamberlain, so I''ve decided to have our first child with her first. "Huh. "And Angier is still young. I''m going to wait a few more years - maybe even a decade. "For ten years?Then what happens to me? "Can''t wait a decade? She glances at the girl. She has a pouting lip, like she''s disgruntled. That''s right. You''ve waited hundreds of years to finally be reborn: ....... That''s right. I was conscious. "Yeah . That''s why I want to be born again so badly. You know, there''s a hell of a feast right in front of me right now, and I feel like I''m stuck with you. I am. "I see. I smiled. That may be true. Although the actual scene has only recently become widespread, humans in this world originally knew that their next life would depend on their good deeds once they are reborn. And the girl is actually SS-ranked and assured that the next life is a glamorous one. Incidentally, Eliza was S-ranked when she had an audience with you and you saw her in your glasses. No wonder she''s an S. After all, he''s the head of the empire. All the power and wealth come together to live as they please, emperor. So it makes sense that he''s an S. They''re S-ranked, even for an emperor. I understand that a girl who has been told she is SS-ranked is hurriedly anticipating a better life. But it will have to wait. Shh. d*mn. The girl was floating in the air, arms crossed crossed cross-legged, lips increasingly puckered. I thought it was cute to see her like that, but I continued writing. Speaking of which, what have you been writing about? "Don''t you see? I don''t even know if I can see it, the letters are different from my time. "I see. I was convinced that I was a human being hundreds of years ago. I died and was reborn soon after, so my knowledge of letters carried over. Oh, and I remember my tutor pointing out the old writing style. Even I had subtle differences, and the first girl in hundreds of years would be even more so. I held up a piece of unfinished parchment so that she could see the paper''s material and the marks in the corners. Ah ...... The office. I know there''s going to be an explosion of crowds. About 10 million people. "...... It''s pretty clear that if there are that many people, there won''t be enough food, land, city infrastructure, education, or anything else. "...... So, prepare for it while you can. While answering, I will write letters and treats to be sent to various parts of the territory. Since this is not an emergency, I will only give orders like this and let my men and officials do their best. Suddenly. Speaking of which, you''ve been quiet for a while now. I noticed that the girl has been quiet for a while now. "...... Hey, it''s nothing, The girl huffed and paused to look away. When she looked away, she kept glancing at me. I look down too. All that''s there is my hand, a pen, and a cursory note. It''s not like a girl would look away or anything, but it''s not supposed to be ....... ...... "Ji? "Your handwriting is good. Thank you. It reminds me of a time long ago when your father gave me a compliment. I''m just being normal and polite. Me too. Hmm? Look at the girl again. She was getting more and more stained. They were already red up to the base of her ears, red as a boiled octopus, no joke. She''s a ghost. I wonder if my handwriting will be better in my second life. Do you want to get better? "Because I suck so badly. I am. "Hmm. I thought for a moment and asked how to touch the ghosts by touching the wise man''s sword near the office desk. I learned that I can touch them by making a glove-like object, like a magic ball, on the surface of their bodies. I do it right away and beckon to the girl. "Come here. "Huh? See? When it didn''t come from the other side, he pulled his hand back and pulled. I pulled the girl who was floating in the air close to me, and then I let her hold the same leather-covered pen and lay my hand on top of it. "What? Let me tell you, let''s write it down. "Ah ...... The girl was puzzled, but moved her accompanying hand to try it first. Taking her hand in his, he ran the pen over the paper and carefully wrote the letters. Yes, that''s good. Yeah, yeah, slowly and carefully. "...... Halfway through, the girl understood my intentions and began to move her hand to some extent, so I relaxed a little bit and just let her hand guide my movements. Yeah, you''re good. There''s no such thing as bad writing. You have a real talent for writing neatly. "Well, I guess so: ...... Yeah. I think so. The girl scowled a little when I said that, and then scowled, "Ehehehe. I''ll tell you what it is," she chuckled. What kind of character is this?What does the sentence mean? Yeah, you don''t know the letters. It''s your name. "Huh? "The name I''ve been thinking of for you. That''s the one I''ve been thinking about. It''s going to be my baby, so now I have to think about it. Names are important. Especially if it''s going to be your child. ............ "Which one do you want?You don''t understand. This is Sophia, from the top, which means wisdom. This is Amanda, which means something important. This is-- "--Ha! In the middle of my explanation, the girl shook off my hand and flew away, slipped through the wall and got out. I wonder what''s going on ...... Just before slipping through the wall, for some reason the girl was seen holding her face and turning even redder in the face. 87 04.善人、ＳＳランクホムンクルスを赤子扱いする I finished the work to be done and got up and stretched. As you go to the window to watch the sunset from there, you see a girl in the garden. Under a large tree, she was floating, slowly circling around with her knees in her arms. She looked a little strange, as if she was underwater. I made eye contact with her, and before I could think, my body moved and beckoned her to join me. She swam (flew) through the air with mermaid-like grace, extending her limbs from a kneeling position. I stepped back to make room for her, and the girl slipped through the window into the office and stopped at the space. What''s going on? I''ll make you a body. "Huh? I can''t give birth to you right away, but I can build you up. "The body,"? The girl who tilted her head in that way, not knowing what that meant. I took out a bag. Another bag made of calamity claws. Not for food storage, but for storing materials and supplies for various things. Lately, I''ve been getting more and more caught up in events, so I made a bag for that. It came in handy right away. I put my hand in the bag and work my magic at the same time. You look at the girl and use your magic while branding her appearance on your retinas. Then he pulled a human shape out of the bag. Homunculus. He made it in the bag and pulled it out and put it in front of the girl. Is this ...... me? "Yeah. A homunculus in your likeness. We can use this body for a while if that''s okay with you. I''ll take care of a lot of responsibilities. Until you''re born again. "Let''s, responsibility? The girl turned bright red. Yeah, that''s not a good choice of words. It''s not a literal mistake, but it''s not very nuanced. "Aftercare. It''s made to be strong, but it can be faulty over time. "...... I don''t know. I''ll try. Okay. He nodded and touched the body of the homunculus and the soul of the girl with both hands. He placed the girl''s soul into the homunculus, just as he had done with the angel Markosias. After a moment, the eyelids of the homunculus that had taken the soul in opened and it looked at its palm with a curious expression. I don''t know. "Body ...... Yeah, the body. "I''m treading the ground ...... for the first time in hundreds of years. Now he looked at his feet standing on the floor. A smile gradually emerged from the girl''s face, as excitement slowly began to rise. "Wow, I did-- The girl''s smile disappeared in an instant. Physically. The girl jumped up and down, jumping up and down with a great momentum, and then, boom!and roared through the ceiling. There was another room above the office, but even that was all gone, and it flew up high into the sky. The airflow is better, and I can see the sky instead of the ceiling. What does that mean? As I was wondering what was happening in front of me, a girl landed with a stutter. What''s the matter with you? I don''t know, just a little jump. ....... What''s wrong with my leg--oh! This time the girl looking at her feet, maybe she wanted to do a "thump" and poke the ground with her foot, but with the first shot she stepped through the floor and fell downstairs - to the first floor. I call out to her from the top of the hole. Are you okay? "Uh-huh. I''m fine. But what''s really going on? "Hmmm. Thinking, I jumped down from the hole and stood in front of the girl. As I was thinking about it, the girl was chagrined. She jumped and stepped through and destroyed the house twice. Not only that, but the fall caused the dust of what was destroyed to roll up and get into her nose. As a result, the girl was itching to-- "--crush! Boom! It was a pretty sneeze, but it wasn''t pretty at all. Her sneeze was powerful enough to cause an explosion. A sneeze blew up half the house. "Ehhh!Whoa, what''s this all about? "Because I put an SS-ranked soul in a ...... homunculus. "Huh? "More than Marcosius. Plus, you haven''t had a body for hundreds of years, so the brakes don''t work at all. "Hey, what''s going on? The girl was coming at me. There was a look of impatience on her face, and it showed in her movements. She fell forward, tripping over the remains of the pallet lying on the floor. Piturn! The girl fell - and this time there was an earthquake. Not only did ...... and the mansion shake, but the whole area shook. The SS ranks and the super power of the homunculus, but we have no control over that power. I''m a bit different than I was with Markosias. A girl who hadn''t had a body for hundreds of years couldn''t even control her powers on a daily basis before producing them in battle. ......! Haha girl, it seems that I understand the situation and the reason for it myself. Boom!Doh!Doh!Doh! Due to the overall increase in physical ability and lack of control. I could clearly hear the girl''s frightened heartbeat. You shouldn''t be here. You can''t be here. The girl turned and tried to run away. She must have been a good girl--yeah, she was SS-rated. Wait. "Don''t keep me back! The girl tried to shake off my outstretched hand. The roar was deafening, and a merciless blow came tearing through the entire space. "Ah-- A girl who is huffing and puffing, still out of control, and yet I just couldn''t help it. And then a look of regret - but. ...... Huh? I caught her hand. With a thud, the force of the hand coursed through her body and cracked her feet. I took the girl''s hand--gently--and took it. First, I had to reassure her. Why? "Don''t worry, I won''t get hurt by your attacks. "Huh? Because there is no father in the world who is weaker than his daughter. "------! Kyun! It''s okay to be a huffy girl ...... . A sound came from her chest, distinctly, but like the first time I heard it. 88 05. Good people, transformation skills evolve Fix the half-destroyed house with magic. In the second bag I prepared various materials for such cases. Without using normal materials, I managed to make the trouble even bigger with my magic alone, which is what happened with the Zealous Hot Springs. Based on this remorse, I used the wood, stones, glass and iron that I hoarded in the bag to repair the house. Materials fly out of the bag and the house is being repaired at high speed. By the way, father and Hossen are having a drink at a distance. It''s nice to see my brother-in-law so close to me. "Brothers, if you drink too much, you''ll miss the future. If you miss it, my brother-in-law will be back in action in no time. "You have a point! The two men having a drink in the garden, served by a maid. The two men as usual were left alone. The ...... Hmm? I turned around and saw the girl. She was apologetically clasping her hands together and chomping on her index finger. I''m sorry. ...... "I''m fine, I don''t care. Just stay close to me. "Eh ...... ah ...... Stay with me and you''ll be fine. "Yeah ...... The girl often looked down and then poof! When she did, she was already smiling. Then I''ll help you with your work. "Help? "Yeah!It''s boredom to stay with them and do nothing. So help me with my work to pass the time. Yeah. "I see. Indeed, some people say that boredom is the worst pain. It''s hard not to have anything to do with the girl''s personality. Okay. Then you''ll help me. "Yes! "Well, here goes. I held out the bag to her. I gave her the bag to hold it for now, but the girl, perhaps still not in control of her body, dropped the bag. "Ah! Catch the bag in a hurry as it was about to drop. I reached out and caught it with her. "Are you okay? "Yes. I''m not used to being in a body yet, so just take it slow. Just take it and walk around with it. When you go near the broken part of the mansion, the materials you need will automatically pop out, so just walk around the broken part with it. I get it! The girl smiled and nodded, and started to run--and then stopped, and started walking slowly. You can see a glimpse of a girl who is aware that she is not in control, and is trying to tame her little by little. The girl walks slowly and gradually away from you. I try to follow her. My brother-in-law. "Hosen?What''s going on? Before I knew it, Hossen was right beside me. He reeked of alcohol, but when he looked up, his eyes were surprisingly clear. You just shrugged off the shock, didn''t you? Hossen seems to understand. "Oh yeah. Grab that thing in the air. It would have been a ten-meter-deep trench if my brother-in-law hadn''t stopped it. I chuckled. A normal human being can pick up something that was about to drop and bounce it, damaging a wall or breaking glass. Similarly, a girl in the body of an SS-ranked homunculus is powerful enough to crack the earth with a sudden movement. What kind of magic is this that stops it as if it were nothing at all? It''s not magic, it''s just a normal force to stop. "What? Hossen''s eyebrows shot up. Silly me, if you stop that thing with all your might, you''d have to be several or even ten times stronger than that. My brother-in-law is not that strong. Yeah, I''m not a normal person. I told Hosen about my transformation. Yeah. But now my brother-in-law is a human being, isn''t his body, right? I know. Of course. There''s nothing about my brother-in-law I don''t want you to be bossy there. It''s the ''gap'' between the soul and the body that generates power. That''s why I applied the Mupapato method to bring the peak of the soul and the bottom of the body together, so you can get the same power as when you transformed for a moment. "Haha. ...... Awesome brother-in-law. You can''t do that. She''ll get worried if she can''t. The girl who would be born again as my daughter. This is a fate, and I wanted her to be happy, if possible, unencumbered. 89 06. Good man, I dont know the easy answer "Hey, hey, what''s that thing your mom is doing?Why to the dragon? The next day, as Angel is practicing his healing spell with Calamity, a girl with a curious look on her face hovers around him. It''s a common sight to see Angel practicing with Calamity, but this is the first time I''ve seen a girl call Angel a mom. "Well, you know, practicing your healing magic. I explained the situation to him, so he understood, but he still felt like he couldn''t bear to be called "Mom". She gave me a pleading look. "Huh?What does it have to do with Dad? I''ve been called Dad and I didn''t send the salvation ship because I wanted Angier to get used to it. It''s not because I''m funny or because I''m smiling or because I want to keep it that way. ...... It''s not like I''m trying to be funny, or that I''m just trying to be funny and leave it at that, yeah. "Well, Calamity''s magic resistance is very high, and so is her healing magic. So we''re studying to increase our healing magic beyond Calamity''s magical resistance. "Oh, my God. You''re a hard worker, aren''t you? That''s not true. I just think I have to be worthy of Alec, that''s all. That''s what it means to be a hard worker. . that''s what it means to be a hard worker. "...... pfft I gulped. Angier and the girl looked at me curiously at the same time. I shouldn''t, I shouldn''t, I was smiling too much. You shouldn''t have smiled too much, you were a little young and polite. A slender and glamorous girl for making a homunculus as she looks. I was blown away by the gap between their relationship as mother and daughter. I just laughed and tried to cover it up. Yeah, I know how you feel. "Huh!E, Eliza, when have you been here? "I was just watching you. I was just watching you because you look like you''re having fun. Eliza came alongside and she only let one ear orichalcone earring come to my side. ...... What''s going on? No, Eliza, you''re a burglar. Yes, but? I thought, "That''s too beautiful, that''s too obvious. Nah. I''m a ...... emperor, and I''m not going to be ashamed to dress up when the moment comes when I need to be found out. "I see. Certainly it is important. Eliza is more likely to investigate in secret and then reveal herself to use the power of the emperor. You certainly can''t dress clumsily in such situations. I don''t mean to look beautiful!I just didn''t want to look awkward! "?Yeah, I know. Makes sense. ...... I don''t like the way you look at things. Eliza said something in passing at the end, but I missed it. "Hey Eliza, what did you just-- "Hey hey dad, who is that guy? I was about to ask her, when the girl saw Eliza and came over to me. By the way, Eliza''s sister-in-law Angel did not come towards me, but just bowed to me and resumed practicing against Calamity. Elisabeth for Caesize. Eliza is fine. "Huh, the fairy people? "What''s that? "Oh, no? Eliza, a pompous girl, tilting her head. "She''s the Emperor. Now. "Whoa!You''re an emperor! "Don''t make a big deal out of it. I''m a burglar when I dress like this. Haha ...... That''s great, Dad, I know the emperor too. Not only do I know him, he''s the vice emperor, he''s the father of our country. "Haha ...... that''s why I''m here to reincarnate. "Hmmm, I wonder what that means. Eliza asked the girl with curious eyes. The girl explained to Elisa, "I am a soul that has been freed from the silver disaster. I am a soul that has been freed from the silver plague, and though the Last Judgment is SS-ranked and the only way to be born as a human is with me, I don''t intend to have a child yet. That''s why I''m going to take the body of a homunculus and stay close to it for now. I briefly explained to Eliza that I was going to make a homunculus body and be close to it for now. "I see, that makes sense. I''m convinced. It''s a sight for all the people of the world to see, and if you''re the best soul in the world, it''s no wonder you have to be born in your place. I think the emperor''s daughter fits in, too. Eliza herself is an S-rank soul, and I thought an SS-rank might be a good time to be a great monarch. "Hmm. ...... Eliza thought for a moment and said to the girl. What do you think?My daughter is, "Eh, I like my daddy''s daughter. "By the way, Eliza pulls the girl''s hand and pulls her away. So he said something to the girl, but they were too far away to understand what he was saying. It''s a good idea! "Oh? What Eliza said, the girl accepted-- "I''d rather it be this way! --In fact, I was in a groove. When the conversation was over, they came back. "What was the story? It''s a secret, woman to woman. "Yeah!Secret to Daddy! "Hmm. ...... I thought for a minute. It''s Eliza''s proposal, so that''s what concerns her. If that''s the case. My daughter, Eliza''s daughter-in-law or sister, like Angel. Like Angel. Princess Angel. She is the daughter of a quasi-baronet, but is now Eliza''s sister-in-law. The emperor often has to reward his subjects. Men can be promoted, but basically, for women who do not have governmental positions, they are rewarded by being in the royal family as their sister or daughter-in-law. That''s what I thought it was about. No, you''re not. "Yeah, no. They denied it immediately. Eliza was a bit taken aback when it came to her. "Well, can I call you Mom? Call it something else for confusion. "Bye, Mom! Yes. Apparently, the proposal is to be born in Eliza''s place. It might be worthy of an SS rank in itself, but I''d rather it be this way! I''m curious about the girl''s positivity that says, "Hey, hey, when''s that? "Hey hey hey, when is it? "You''re the second one over here, so be patient. I didn''t even understand their interaction. When I didn''t understand, Eliza gave me a half-amused, half-sneering look. I didn''t understand what was going on. 90 07. Becoming the Father of a Good Man and a Hero "Don''t worry, I''m good at waiting and being patient. To Eliza''s statement to wait patiently, the girl replied with an innocent smile. ." "It doesn''t look like it, It''s true, I''ve been putting up with it for hundreds of years. I have. I see. Okay, nice to meet you--well, Eliza cocked her head. "You know, I never heard of you. What''s your name? ...... Come to think of it, I hadn''t heard of it either. I thought I''d been careless. . hmmm, I don''t know about that. Don''t know?You''ve already had your memory wiped? I remember what happens in reincarnation. I was half-failed and half-lucky and it didn''t work out that way, but usually you are reincarnated after having your memory erased. I wondered if she was one of them. No, she didn''t. She just forgot. Laughing matter-of-factly, he said, "I don''t know my name. I don''t even know my name or who I was when I was alive. "Really? Yeah, it was kind of hazy, you know. I can''t seem to remember, but I can''t. At first I tried to remember, but I''ll forget everything in my reincarnation anyway, so I thought, "All right. Carefree. Eliza said with a light chuckle. Then she looked at me. ''Alec, is there any way you can help me?How to bring back the name and memory of this child Yes. Eliza asked me to touch the wise man''s sword, which I carry at all times. I asked him what was going on and how to solve it. The wise man''s sword gave me the answer. Hmmm. How''s that? "I guess there''s only one way I can do it right now. I''m going to look into her heart - into her soul - and I''m going to tell you what I bring back. You''re a bit of a stickler. "Now, so. And if you do it, there''s a big chance that a person''s most fundamental memory will be inspired to come back. That''s usually a name. "Really?Then look at it! The girl stuck out her chest and said with such force that she could make her clothes come off. She was so innocent and open-minded, and I''m sure she''ll be like that for the rest of her life. Well, I''m going to take a peek. I said so and, feeling at ease, cast a spell on her. I said that and cast a spell on her, feeling at ease. "I''m sorry ......, but this is the only way to stop Hershel''s Apostle. "Never mind. I''m really sorry for the eternal torment, pushing you down to the depths of hell." ...... Don''t worry about it, I''m good at being patient and waiting. I''m very good at being patient and waiting. I''m sorry ...... * "--Ku ...... Alec. "...... e "Alec! "Eliza, and ...... I''m back (), and the two women are looking into my face with concern. Eliza and the girl, there was a distinct color of concern on their faces. Are you all right?Sweat, you look terrible. "Yeah, I''m fine. Just as Elisa had told me, before I knew it, I was drenched in sweat and my clothes were wet and clinging to my skin. You look like you''ve had a bad dream. "...... was just a surprise. Some of the things I''ve seen. I told you only one of the two required. Surprise? "So . San Sacrifice. That''s her name. "...... Really? Eliza''s color changed - and it was only for a moment. No, yes. That makes sense. "You''re going to be convinced? Yes, that''s why you were given the next life to have your child, right? . that''s why your child was given a second life to be born, right? I see. I chuckled. The usual Eliza, the contagious, entrenched paternal theory, lightened my mood a little. ''What?What does that mean?What''s up with my name? The girl again, Sun asked, "Sun Sacrifice. "San Sacrifice. It''s the name of the hero who saved humanity in a silver plague. "...... eeeeee!Really? "Yeah. . definitely. I checked with the wise man''s sword just to be sure, and he was right. "The heroes are not wrong, but the right one is a saint. Eliza, who knows the history well, gave a supplementary explanation. I wonder if she knows every detail. Wow, that was a long time ago. So would be the life of becoming Alec''s daughter. A hero who saved ten million people. One of the best souls out there. Fair enough. "I see. ...... Sun chewed on what Eliza had told her. Eventually, she looked at me and smiled. What''s the matter with you? No, it''s nothing. It''s nothing. I see. But then again, that''s just Alec, the father of a hero. It''s a big responsibility. I''d rather have the baby sooner than later, if that''s the case. I thought it would be better to completely erase the memories of my previous life. When I looked into her memories, I saw what seemed to be an eternity of pain with her. I quickly sealed it away with magic, but the best way to erase the memory of that suffering completely is to be born again. If it''s best for my child to be born, I thought about it earlier, but I took it back. Don''t worry, I''m good with patience and waiting and such. "...... so Yes. . and try to think differently. Eliza smiled at him. "It''s already a treat to be with Alec right now. "Of course! Another possibility arises before rebirth. "Yeah!Actually, I''m not sure if I''d like that either - I''ve been thinking about it. I know the feeling. Eliza and San hit it off. I rapidly grew to like the cheerful but spirited San. 91 08. Becoming a Good Judge The next day, when Eliza returned to the palace, San remained in the mansion. I joined her in the breakfast refectory and asked her, "You didn''t follow Eliza, did you? "You didn''t follow Eliza, did you? "Yeah, I''ll be there for you, Dad. Okay, I thought you and Eliza were going to have fun in some other way? "I''m used to waiting and being patient. I''m used to waiting and being patient. Smiling Sun . That smile looks prettier than it did at first, as the originally beautiful girl enters a body (albeit a homunculus) instead of a soul. I hope that''s okay. "More importantly, what is Dad going to do today? "Today-- I pulled the appointments out of my head and tried to reconfigure their order. The newly cultivated village of Sarasa. I came to a village that had begun to cultivate the land for its growing population. So this is my land from here to there. No, it''s mine. I dug it up and picked up roots and rocks and stuff and tried my best to make it look like a field. In front of me, two men were arguing. It was caused by a decree I had persuaded my father to issue a while ago. It was a decree that if a field was newly cultivated from the wasteland, the field would belong to the man for one generation only. As for inheritance and succession, I have other things I want to do, so I decided to keep it as a lifetime treaty. It is an attractive story that the land will be yours if you cultivate it, and men here and there who cultivate the land, especially for the sake of their children who will be born in the future, are eager to cultivate it. So, when they came to inspect, they found trouble. What do we do, Mr. Alec? When I turned around, there was an anxious Ange and San standing side by side. When I said I was going to visit, San said she would go with me and pulled Angier along with her. I answered them. "It''s a little tricky. Let me handle this. You two go wander around. "Eh. Let''s go, Ms. San. We mustn''t bother Mr. Alec. That''s all right. d*mn. Sun''s lips twitched for a moment, but she grudgingly followed Angier. She watched the two scheduled mothers and daughters disappear and then approached the men. What''s going on? What''s a boyfriend? "You idiot, you don''t even know what the Vice-Emperor looks like? "Vice-Emperor? One knew me, but the other didn''t seem to know me and gave me a fishy look. "More importantly . . a land dispute? "Yes ...... The man who knows me explained the situation to me. There was virtually no new information. Almost all of what the two men were arguing about was what they had been arguing about, and both refused to concede that they were the land they were cultivating. "Vice-Emperor, deal with it. What can this kid do? It''s more about you. You can. When I said that, they looked at me in surprise. One of them said, "So soon! The other mumbled, "Oh, come on," in a barely audible voice, with a look like, "Oh, come on, really? With the knowledge I learned from the wise man''s sword, I put my hand into the bag of supplies. You make it in the bag and take out two beans. What''s this? It''s a special crop. Plant it in the ground and it grows very fast. In just a few dozen seconds. "In tens of seconds!"? What''s that? You can grow this and see who grows faster. It''s about the land. Let the land choose. That''s good, isn''t it? "Yes! Those who didn''t know me got on board right away. Those who knew me, on the other hand. "I wonder if it''s safe to grow up so fast. Don''t worry, it will suck up all the nutrients at once, but nothing will grow for a year or so after that. But the earth will be back to normal soon. "...... quit The one who knows me bit his lower lip and pulled back. "Are you sure? "...... yes The man then returned the kibisu and walked away. He stopped in the middle, turned around and looked at the land, but left without saying a word. When he was gone. "All right. This is my land now. You''re a big man. I hope you approve. "...... I silently cast a spell and put the man to sleep with magic. I chased after the man who had just fallen, leaving him lying on the ground with his nose puffed out and sleeping. I stared at him groggy under a tree at the edge of the village. Hey, "Vice Emperor: ...... I''m sorry for trying. "No, it''s not that: ...... That''s the land you settled, right? "Huh? How do you know?You look at me in surprise. "When you told me the land was going to be in trouble, you looked so sad. You don''t get attached to the land unless you''ve actually done it. "Yes, yes "This I took out the beans that I saw earlier. "Is this the ...... from earlier? That''s a lie. When you plant it, the land will wake up and take sides with those who have taken care of it. I don''t know what it''s going to do, but it will be on your side. "So, just now, the Vice-Emperor gave us this? Yes, you can plant it and the land will judge. "I did. ...... I''m sorry I didn''t know you were doing that. Okay. And here. Now the man takes out a piece of parchment. The man takes it and opens it. "What does it say? He couldn''t read. "My seal of approval for the land to be passed on to my children. "What?I''m not sure. You''d be better off with someone who also takes care of the land. "Oh, thank you! The man was thrilled. He bowed and thanked me over and over again. Now, I have to go find Angel and Sun-- "Wow! I turned around and saw them behind a tree beyond. They were hiding and looking at me. Hey, there you are. "Yes!Dear Alec. I''ve seen it all, Dad. "Master Alec''s famous judgment. It''s not just magic, it''s a wonderful judgment that is close to the heart! "I was very moved. Machine!And I thought it would magically work out, but I''m impressed with my dad''s sense of humor that he can do this too! "You are the judge, Master Alec. Angel and San, the two would-be mother and daughter, had a tremendous rapport. 92 09. The Good Man Rescues Two People from Collapse (side sun) I''ve been watching. "Gee, I''m sorry ...... "I''m sorry. San, who doesn''t seem to be feeling too sorry for Angier, who becomes Shunned. San, pulling Angier, ran away from the location of the field where Alec is. The two girls run through the village. The two girls continue on through the village and come to the outskirts of the village. Ha...... ha...... "Oh, I''m sorry Mom. Are you okay? Haha ...... I''m ...... a great length, husband . Where is Ms. Sun? I''m the one who''s okay. My dad made my body so it''s very sturdy. I am. San raised his arms and posed in the gut with a coy gesture. An SS-ranked soul to a homunculus. San never gasps for air after a little running. I''m sorry, Mom. ...... Can I get you something to drink? "No, I''m fine. ...... Angier patted his chest, took a deep breath, and caught his breath. Then she calmed down and asked Angel, San asks, "Hey, Dad, are you always like that? "Hey, is Dad always like that? "Oh, what? "Is he that good-looking?That is. I don''t think so today. When you''re looking good, you look great, Alec. I want to see it! On the outskirts of the village, on a knoll. The two girls were beginning to talk about girls. The topic of conversation focuses on Alec, or rather, only Alec. San asks Angel, who is to be married and live with her since she was a child, about this and that. It''s obvious to everyone that Sun likes Alec, and of course Angier felt it too. You know ...... San. "What? It''s okay, now. "What? "Making a child is, Sun was momentarily spooked. Angelica Silva, Alec''s front room appointment. The first time the child is in Angel, is what Alec always says. Now Alec says it''s too early, but Angier says it''s too soon. Help San, who will be reincarnated as Alec''s child, by saying, "It''s Alec''s child. It''s Alec''s child, and I''m always available at ...... Angier''s cheeks were stained. His words were true. The beloved Alec''s children would always be his children, that was Angel''s unspoken intention. That''s how much she cares about Alec. You''ll be fine. "But "I''m used to waiting and being patient. I''m used to waiting. Sun smiles and laughs. "Really? "Yeah. Because there''s no need to rush. I''m SS-rated, and the only way to be human is to stay with my dad. Sun smiled and winked at him. So, for now, I''ll take your thoughts. Thanks, Mom. "Yeah ...... Angier nodded, but remained cowering. Maybe we don''t need to hurry, that''s true, but there''s no reason why we can''t do it right now. Besides, as Sun said before. (Waiting and patience: ...... I''m still patient. ......) Angel, who has been described by Alec as intelligent, couldn''t have missed it, and she was aware of Sun''s delicate feelings. But that doesn''t mean she can''t do something about it. Ange is a "good girl. As Alec''s wife, she was determined to be a good girl, and she always has been. So I''ve never been good at insisting on anything other than what was clearly for Alec''s benefit. ...... So I couldn''t get rid of that feeling of bewilderment. Angier kicked the pebbles at his feet with a knocking motion. This action, too, would have been a surprise if Alec were here. The "good girl" Angier, who has always been a good girl, would act like this out of bewilderment. She wordlessly kicked the pebble again. San watched and kicked the pebble together. But . Gogo..... The moment San kicked the ground off the pebble, a small hill on the outskirts of the village collapsed. A landslide occurred, and the place where the two of them are collapsing. The body of a homunculus on the SS rank. Higher in power than any human or god around, San still can''t control his power. She often "does" everything but the most mundane actions. It''s still the case. A casual act with Angel had enough power to kick down the hill. The two of them were sliding down, and suddenly their whole bodies were enveloped in a floating sensation. The extent of the collapse was so great that it instantly spawned a sort of cliff and the two of them fell head over heels. "Yikes! "Mom! Sun quickly grabbed Angier''s hand, but they remained slipping away together. I''m sorry, I''m going to throw it at you, Mom. "Eeeeeeee!Now, Ms. Sun? "Don''t worry, it only hurts for a second. San''s body is a homunculus, not his real body. Alec''s many shapeshifting tests have shown that being knocked down while in a homunculus does not result in death. He tells San that. I''m good at patience. Then he tried to throw Angel upwards. Throwing Angel, a normal human being, over the cliff, I, who was fine even if my body shattered, just fell. That was the best plan Sun had envisioned for this moment. It wasn''t a lie to say that patience was her strong suit, not at all. Still, she had a wistful look on her face for a moment. Right after that. "If I had to put up with you, I wouldn''t let you. "Eh. "Ah. Sun and Angel, the floating sensation in their bodies disappeared. The floating sensation stopped and stopped in mid-air, so much so that the blood was concentrating on their fingertips. It was done by Alec. Alec rushed in with his flying magic and caught them both in the air. Thank you, Alec! "Yeah, are you okay Angel? "Yes!It''s totally fine. "Good. Sun? "...... Sun? Alec looked into San''s face with a quizzical look on his face. San clung to Alec in silence. "...... Alec also silently flew slowly and slowly landed, taking them to a safe place. Ah ...... As soon as he landed, Sun ran away. What''s going on? I''ll go. Angier said and ran after San before Alec could call out after him. On the other side of the hill, in the unbroken forest, Angier caught up with San. Ms. Sun, are you alright? "...... Turning around, San, his face was puffy. San, who was fine with pulling Angier and plucking at the village, is blushing. Ange was peeved to find out why. Of course. That situation, if she''s Alec. It''s funny how that can''t happen to a girl, Ange thought. You''re going to be able to find out what''s going on in the world. "You know what? "Yes? "Take your time. "Slowly? "Yes, slowly. Rather slowly. Blushing and embarrassed Sun. "Because I want to wait () slowly, As San spoke, Angel silently, but with a grin, he took her hand and squeezed it. He took her hand and squeezed it. 93 10. A good man engraves his true name in his soul The next day, I was holed up in the house, not going anywhere. I am sitting in front of a big desk in my study, which is usually not used much. By the way, although it''s called a study, I don''t have any books in this room. Because in front of me, on the desk in front of me, is the sword of the wise man, which holds all the knowledge of the world. I touched it softly and thoughtfully. Knock knock. "Come in. "Excuse me. Entering the room with a reverent voice was the maid Amelia. She has worked in the house since I was a child and is now a beautiful woman in the midst of her prime. She brought a cup of tea on the table. She placed it in the perfect place, out of my way, but just a reach away. This is where the skilled maids do their fine work, and the person being served is just happy and comfortable. Delicious. Thank you for everything. I''m sorry. As she speaks, Amelia stares at me and does not seem to be leaving the room. What''s the matter with you? Unusually, Alec has a lot on his mind. Master Alec has always been quick to find solutions and knowledge. Most people would say, "It''s just an image," but Amelia, who has been watching me since I was a child, assured me unequivocally, "Yes, I''ve already drawn out the knowledge, and now I''m trying to figure out which one is best. ''Yes, I''ve already pulled out the knowledge, and now I''m trying to figure out which one is best for you. "Is it so difficult? Yeah. Actually, I think I''m going to name it after Sun. "Wasn''t it said that after being born as a child of Alec and Angel? "I was going to, but since you said you didn''t want me to be in a hurry--no. You said you didn''t want to rush it, so I''m going to do it. So...) I''m giving it a name now. "I see. I was chasing names and meanings and the achievements of the great men in history who were named after them. Which name would give them the happiest life. This has been a surprisingly hard job. It''s like watching the life of a person from the past through the sword of the wise men in a play. Although it is a digest, it is still an enormous amount of life, and the fact that there are so many of them that I have listed as candidates adds to that. Thank you for your hard work, please don''t take it easy. Thank you. Amelia, too. I''m sorry. Amelia said, bowed and walked out of the study. Moments later, Sun''s cheers could be heard from outside the room. ''Maybe I should have kept it to myself. I chuckled. I guess Amelia was just trying to be nice and tell San. Maybe she would have liked it more if I had surprised her with a name, I kind of regretted it. Maybe if we''d gone to ....... As the idea of a surprise came to mind, I asked the wise man''s sword again if there was anything I could do. . The next day, again, my study. When everything was ready, I asked Amelia to go get San. Here I come, Daddy! San came into the room and the tension was high. Amelia, who had called me over, was also watching the situation with a smile, although she was standing in the corner like a maid. It''s completely understandable and expected. Well, it''s all right. Come on. I''m actually thinking of giving San a name. Well, it''s something I''m going to get to do, so it''s kind of sooner rather than later. "Thanks, Dad! Then put your blood stamp here. Then he put the parchment on the desk and held it out in front of Sun. "What''s this? "A magical artifact. Here is the name I gave you, stamped in blood. I get it! Excitedly, San slit her thumb with my ornamented knife and stamped her blood on the designated spot on the parchment. A magic light enveloped San as the trick went off. Ah, ...... Sun''s excited face is overwritten by a huff of excitement. This is my name: ...... Yeah, that just popped into my head. "Thanks, Dad! Sun walked around the desk and clung to my neck. I''ll keep the name. I''m going to keep the name from today-- "Wait. As she was about to say her new name, she reached out and gently placed her index finger on Sun''s lips. In a classic gesture, Sun gulped down what she was about to say. "Hey, what is it, Daddy? Don''t tell anyone your name, okay? "Why?It''s your name. That''s just my name. "Mana? Sun, who was craning her neck and looking like she was being pinched by a fox, had the same look on her face. Amelia, who was watching from the corner of the room, has the same look on her face. "Yeah, my real name. Or should I say, a name etched into my soul. The orders of those who know it will never be disobeyed and will be in absolute obedience, but instead will be blessed with a life that is true to the meaning of mana. I don''t know the former Sun''s real name, but I guess she was patient or something. I overruled it. I wished Sun a life of nothing but happiness. Her true name was overridden. Before and after my reincarnation. I wished her only happiness. Such a thing, Dear Alec, is amazing ...... Amelia, who was in the corner of the room, was marveling. I thought the same was true for Sun. Absolute Obedience to Daddy: ...... For some reason, he mumbled it and blushed "poof". It shouldn''t be there ......? 94 11. The Good Man, the Goddess "Huh. What''s up, Dad? The next day in my study, I was alone with Sun. I was looking at the palace gazette from the imperial capital, which was distributed to nobles and officials to inform them of the emperor''s administration and imperial decrees. Imperial decrees often need to be made known to the whole world. Of course, it would be inefficient for the emperor - the central government to do it one by one. So, the palace gazette is sent to the nobles and officials in each place, and the one who governs the territory will make the people aware of it. Looking at the palace gazette, I screamed, but San tilted his head back at me and asked. What does it say? Better yet, get down and away from it. "You''re only reading now and not writing, then you''ll be fine. That''s true, though. I chuckle bitterly. This morning--or technically, since I named San yesterday, she''s remained attached to me. It''s a clear favor, not a trace of malice. Unlike when I first met her, she''s become a little more selfish, but that''s about it. (Oh ......) Selfishness was the word that popped into my head and I knew I had no choice. I''ve been trying to get her to stop being "good at waiting and being patient", and I''ve been doing a lot of things to get her to stop being that way. If she stopped waiting and being patient and became selfish, then I was right. And if that means I''m going to - I''m going to have to let her stick with her future father. Thinking that far, I accepted the idea of being attached and explained the palace newsletter to her, who can''t read yet. "Your Majesty has ordained that San Sacrifice be taken up again and posthumously posthumously posthumously posthumed to the Duke. "Me? Yes, you. Great, now you''re a duke, Sun. Hmmm, I''m not sure I''m honestly sure. I''m not sure. From his point of view, yes. I heard you worked on the church as well. Sun was a member? "Church?Hmm, did I do something when I was born? "That''s about it. The church canonized San. It canonized her as a saint and designated her birthplace--which is still standing--as a sacred place. "My house?It''s kind of interesting. A surprised, wide-eyed San. Rather than saints and canons, the fact that the house he lived in hundreds of years ago is more intriguing to him than the fact that he lived in it a few hundred years ago. Something like this. Yeah. Hey, what''s the big deal? "Hmm?When I say important, I mean it''s important, but now that I know what it is, it''s just paper. Then give me that?Show Mom. Okay. I handed the palace newsletter itself to San, who had been tugging at me all the time. San, who had been clawing at me all the time, accepted it in a good mood and ran out of the room. The door slammed shut!There was a loud bang and the door frame cracked a little. I''ll have to get him used to controlling the force a bit more. I smile bitterly. I''m still a lot calmer than when I first entered the body of a homunculus. At the very least, I should be able to control my power as well as a normal human when I''m not on fire. There''s something for that, I wondered as I touched the wise man''s sword. Suddenly the air in the room changed. The air was clean, austere. An indescribable air. Do you know what this air is: ......? You''re thinking. . angel? An angel descended before me. In the study, despite the presence of the ceiling, a soft light poured down from heaven. In that light an angel descended. The angel in charge when I was born again, and the one I saw in my baby state right after I was born. The air of the advent was the same as the one I felt then. It''s been a long time. The angel who landed spoke to me in a surprisingly friendly tone. It''s good to see you ...... and talk to me. Talking to humans is not forbidden. Yeah. ...... So, what''s up?It''s not every day that a real, working angel comes down to you, is it? I sought knowledge because I was still touching the sword of the wise men. The answer I got was a rare once-in-a-decade event. Knowing this, I became more and more disciplined. "You do a lot of things. "I mean? Helping angels and helping God. "Oh. You mean per Azazel, Astaroth, and Markosius. That''s pretty impressive, but I can''t overlook this one. "This time? "This is my name. I could feel my eyebrows furrowing. ''This was something a human could do. Well, like Markosias, a human being could have done it if he or she had met the requirements. But overriding the soul''s true name is something no human being can do. That''s something only God can do--that''s what he''s not supposed to do. The angel scowled even more than I did. He looked horribly confused. You''ve been able to do so much because I didn''t erase your memory by mistake. Without the memory of a previous life, even an SSS-ranked human being would have had to live a life of status and talent and be born A or B next, with a reasonable life. Maybe that''s just the way it is. I had a temper tantrum. If I had no memories at all, I would have some idea of what humans are like. But you didn''t. You were human and you did something that was close to God, something that only God could do. "...... What do you want me to do? I got a little defensive. "My suggestion, could you at least have a divinity? ...... yes? Disempowered. What does the word "divinity" mean ......? I see you''re on good terms with the emperor, so let me explain it to you. It''s like a divine incognito, the divinity. Not strictly speaking, of course. "I see. I see . He is a god on the inside, but he blends in with the human world in the guise of being human. Surely this is vaguely similar to Eliza''s snub. "Re-naming of the soul''s true name, as long as it''s done by a person with a divinity, there won''t be a problem. "It''s a funny way to get around. I think we should just erase my memory. It''s your fault. The angel sulked . Why? Because the power of the SSS rank is doing good things. It is absolutely forbidden for a person who is doing good to go unrewarded. The Creator and the Absolute God of this world will not allow it. "I see. Certainly this world''s system is. So please, at least have a divinity. Please. The Divinity . Heard more on the wise man''s sword. A system that gives a human being and makes that human being practically a god. It''s similar to Emperor Elisabeth''s taking her non-royal sister-in-law, Angers, and making her an imperial princess. She is not 100% god (royalty), but she can act as god (royalty) without any problem to actually do something. I see. I''ll think about it for a minute. "So you''re not in trouble? "Yes. Okay, then do it. I had to do this because it''s ......, you know? The angel also sulked. It would have been so much easier if I were a bad guy," he mumbles. That''s indeed out of my control, it''s in my nature. This day I will not only receive an earthly title. I had received not only an earthly title, but also a divinity of a heavenly title (or something like that). 95 01. Good people use Gods power right away In the study, alone with the angel. I stared at my palms. I am examining the physical and magical changes that have come from attaining divinity. At the same time, I also ask the angel. "Does gaining Godhead change anything? You won''t be old at a time of your choosing. "You mean immortality? "As a goddess, you don''t have to be immortal, only immortal. I see. I don''t like to be told that I''ve become immortal with my appearance. It''s good to be able to choose my own timing. "Also, you''ll be able to use some of your divine powers. I know it''s too early to tell, but you''ll notice a change gradually. "Okay. Thank you. "No. Speaking of which, how high is the position of a deity in the other world?Common people? "Hmmm. The angel put a finger to his cheek and looked thoughtful. "Suppose the gods are noblemen. The gods are barons. I see, an emerging quasi-aristocracy. That''s what I mean. If you ask me, I''d say it''s usually treated that way. But it''s such a waste. "What? If you had become a god then, you would have become a god of the duke class. That''s about it, SSS. A complicated-looking angel. And yet, a human being, the quasi-barone-worthy now. I''m sorry," he said, his face clearly showing his desire to say. I''m sorry. "Huh? I know it''s why you had to come down to earth. I''m sorry for the extra work. "It''s fine, but ...... Again, a complicated look on your face. I''m wondering what''s still going on. In the study, the floor in front of the desk begins to glow in a circle. A woman emerges from the upward beam of light. Goddess Astaroth, the one who has been working with me since I helped her long ago. Astaroth stepped back still further and gently dropped to one knee in a fluid motion. "My Lord! "What? The harvest has begun in many places. I thought it was time to buy this year''s crop. Is it that time of year already? How''s the harvest? "Yes, my faith in the Lord is good, no problem. Astaroth answers without hesitation at all. To someone who doesn''t know the situation, the back and forth is incomprehensible. Astaroth, goddess of fertility, she is my favored guardian of the crops in Alexander''s domain. Her criterion for bestowing the blessing was whether she had faith in me and not in herself. So she said so. She said, "It doesn''t matter, because you have faith in the Lord, or in me. Thank you. There was one village that failed to protect the image of the Lord from bandits, and this one had a normal harvest. There were three villages that spontaneously insulted the Lord by saying that they were not worthy of the Lord''s image, and we have declared this one a poor harvest. "You want to go there? "No one who insults the Lord will be overlooked. Astaroth declared flatly. He''s not smiling at all. Well, I''m pretty clear on the criteria, and I''ll probably be a little bit of a bad guy, so it doesn''t matter. And so I was receiving reports from Astaroth as usual. Then I saw the astonished figure of the angel still here, who is usually absent. "What''s the matter? "I''ve heard about it, but it''s shocking to see it in person. "What? Astaroth, you are on the level of a human being, right?It''s ...... The angel looked at me and Astaroth in turn. I see, you are surprised that the duke is not kidding about the quasi-baron. I''m sorry, it''s a little too exciting, I''m going to have to leave because it''s making me lightheaded. ...... Are you okay? "Don''t worry, this scene is just too exciting. The angel says, I nod with a bitter smile. Then the angel raises his hands to the sky--but. "Huh? What''s going on? "The gate does not open ...... Oh no?Is your time up already? "A gate to the other side of the world? "Yeah, it should still be okay in time. ...... What to do Can''t leave without opening the gates? I touched the philosopher''s sword and listened. Then the sword taught me the knowledge of how to open the gates of the godhead. Remembering this, I stand up with the sword in my hand. "Ha! Like an arc, the wise man''s sword is drawn out. Then a gaping space above the angel''s head - a gate - appeared. "Huh? This is the right thing to do, right?The gate back to the other side. "Uh, yeah ...... yeah! What''s going on? When I asked the angel, who was surprised in a different way from before . "I''ve never seen someone use the power of God so quickly. ...... "You said it would be available after a while. I''ve been there, but it usually takes years. ...... "No, it''s ...... Further marvel at the angel. I laughed more bitterly than you. So it was a "while" for the angel''s sense of time. 96 02. Good people, learn to make changes in nature "Lord, The study after sending the angel back and seeing him off. Astaroth spoke to me with a straight face. What''s the matter? "It''s not too much to ask. Once there, Astaroth stops talking, his eyes are fixed on me. Since Astaroth calls me lord, he is waiting for permission to "do something impertinent. I don''t have to do that, though, I thought, nodding. "The Lord''s body has been transformed into a divine attribute, please be aware. "God attribute? "Yes . In the case of the Godhead, the physical body will be identical to that of God. I see, you''re an aristocrat. It reminds me of the parable the angels made. A normal god is a baron or an ordinary nobleman, and Astaroth in front of him is a duke. The gods, on the other hand, are like quasi-barons, quasi-aristocrats for life. But a noble is a noble. Barons are usually nobles too, except when it comes to aristocrats. In the same way, a divinity is a god in body. I understand that. "That''s partly true, but it''s a necessary change for the exercise of divine magic. "Yeah. But how can that help you pay attention to ...... oh I was about to say, and then I noticed. Astaroth nodded curtly. Well, it''s the other way around. My soul is SSS-ranked. After the incident with Markosias, I learned that you can power up by changing from a human body into a homunculus body. The greater the gap between body and soul, the more power you get. This time it''s the other way around: from a human body to a god''s body. In other words, the greatness of my body has risen. Astaroth pointed out to me that the smaller the gap between the soul and the body, the lower the power. "I see, thank you, Astaroth. I''m sorry. On the other hand, since he is a godlike person, he''ll be able to use divine magic like I mentioned before. Deduction: ...... Yeah, that''s rather a plus. I smiled at him. I ran through the information I''d pulled from the wise man''s sword () and clearly affirmed it. Even if there is a slight power drop, the effect and power of God''s magic--God''s magic will cancel it out. "You can do a lot of things, with God. Like right now, at night. So a little power reduction shouldn''t be a problem, right? "Huh? "Huh? Astaroth was startled enough to raise his voice. I look at her and ask her what''s going on. Astaroth, who had remained calm and almost unsurprised at the sight of the angels and me as a goddess, looked at her with wide eyes. ''''What''s the matter?'''' "Is it possible to reverse day and night ......? "Yeah, I won''t, but it''s an annoying spell unless you''re really worried about it. Oh, it''s not so annoying over here. Hold out your hand and use your magic. The next time the spell is triggered, the inside of the study goes completely dark. Not even the fingertips of the held hand could be seen. At the same time, voices of confusion could be heard from inside and outside the house. Proof that the darkness isn''t just in the study. "Hey, what''s this? The solar eclipse--here. I magically lit a candle and opened the window of my study. Looking up at the sky through the window, I see that the sun has completely eclipsed the sky, leaving only a small circle of light around the perimeter. Meanwhile, the sky and the ground are dark, and you can hear the servants inside and outside the mansion panicking at the suddenness of the event. The eclipse was soon over, the world was lit up again, and the commotion slowly subsided. The reversal of day and night is bad enough, but the eclipse will be over soon, and everyone will look up at the sky and be satisfied and the commotion will subside. In fact, the voices from the panic rapidly subsided. Meanwhile, Astaroth, who is in his study, is wide-eyed - and open-mouthed and puzzled. ...... "What''s up Astaroth? "No, no, no, ...... I never thought I''d go that far: ...... That much? Since only senior gods should be able to manipulate the sky and time: ...... I didn''t notice that because it worked normally. The Lord: ...... The fertility goddess Astaroth looked at me with increasingly fascinated eyes. 97 03. Completely Seal the Good Man and the Assassins ""Wow! Cheers erupted from the villagers who greeted me and Angel as we landed with flying magic. The village of Dax, where we had come for the purchase of food after the harvest, was the most northern part of the Alexander League territory. It is the northernmost village in the Alexander League and used to be difficult to cultivate due to low temperatures and insect damage. I gave them tools and magic such as greenhouse magic, sacks of fertilizer and even Astaroth''s blessing. As a result of all the tools and magic I gave them, they are now self-sufficient in food production and can offer to buy their surplus food. And I''ve been contacted again this year to buy them back. "Mr. Alec, there is something wrong with you. Yes, it''s different. I nodded my head in affirmation of what Angier felt. Usually the village chief or some other person in charge who could read, write, and count the money would be there to greet me. This time, however, I was greeted by hundreds of people, almost all of whom were present. All of them have a twinkle in their eyes and no malice in them, but it''s definitely different. "What shall we do, Master Alec? Take care of yourself. Oh, Angier, we''ll hold hands. "...... Yes, Mr. Alec. Angier happily held my hand. Angel is growing more and more beautiful every day. Maybe that''s why I felt my paternity fade away a little bit when I was with her. I wondered if I would be able to see her as a woman in a few years, and I went towards the villagers. Welcome to you, Mr. Carlisle. A man from the crowd of villagers stepped forward and bowed reverently. He''s not a nobleman, so it''s not a matter of etiquette or anything like that, he just bends his hips almost ninety degrees and bows deeply, but the feeling is fully understood. And you? "My name is Von Braque, the acting chief of this village. "Acting Mayor? "Yes, my father is suffering from that ...... crippled back. I was looking forward to seeing Mr. Carlisle, but it was hard for him to sleep. "Don''t do that. I''ll look at it later and you can show me around. "Thank you! The man--Fon once again bowed deeply. "More importantly, what''s wrong with this?Why is everyone here? I prepared a banquet to express my gratitude to Mr. Carlisle. "Banquet "Yes, if you would like, please! Von looked at me with biting, strong eyes. The other villagers also looked at me, all of them looking at me with strong, pining eyes. So that''s what it was all about. Listen, Angier. "Of course! Angier nodded happily. In fact, he seemed even happier than I was. "I''m going to have to get you out of here then. "Thank you! Von bows his head again. Then a couple of villagers, a boy and a girl, came running out. They came in front of Angers and me, each carrying a large wreath. I bent down a little and held out my head, and the boy put the wreath around my neck. Angier learned from me and bent down to help him put on the wreath. We watch the villagers applauding as we both pat the children''s heads. At the back of the room, I see a group of beautiful, slightly revealing women waiting for me. If Angier wasn''t there, they would have come out in his place. That kind of hospitality, a strong sense of hospitality. Let''s go, Angier. "Yes! With Angel, surrounded by the villagers, we entered the village in a friendly manner. In the square there was a festival, a feast comparable to the size of the annual harvest festival. I was ushered into the best guest of honor''s seat, sat down, and said to Angel. Angel, don''t worry about me, eat a lot. "Don''t you eat, Mr. Alec? "We are in the midst of a period of excess due to the influence of the body being God''s. Normal food won''t taste good for another week or so. "Doesn''t it taste good? I can''t taste anything. It feels warm or soft, but it doesn''t taste at all. So Angel should have one for me. "Really!I understand! Angier nodded innocently enough. Then we received a welcome from the whole village of Dax. Stars At night, in the biggest store in the village. The villagers begged me to stay the night, so Angier and I decided to stay the night. I woke up somehow. I can see a light faintly outside the window. It''s a bonfire in the square where the party was held. It is common in these villages to equate God with fire and to devote faith to it. It''s a kind of torch. I glanced at it through my thin eyes, feeling the warmth of Angel sleeping with me. I closed my eyes to sleep until morning, and the next thing I knew, I was asleep. The next moment. Something fell from above my head. There was no sign of it, no air flow. But I could clearly feel something falling. Grabbing the wise man''s sword by the bedside, you quickly guard it. Snap! A deafening sound and sparks flying in the darkness . The assailant kicked the wise man''s sword and leapt backward, keeping his distance. What is it?What happened? Startled, Angier jumps up to be played. I take a step forward, hiding Angel behind my back. It''s okay Angier, just stay close to me. "Oh, ...... got it. Acknowledging me, Angel rapidly calms down. Feeling a comfortable trust, I stare at the assailant with my wise man''s sword at the ready. In the darkness, reflected in the distant bonfire, a cold blade and a single eye glow darkly. "What are you? "...... "...... kids? You look like a kid. I was puzzled and so was Angel. It was clearly the voice of a child, a girl, who answered. But it didn''t match her young age, and there was no emotion in her voice. She is even younger than me and Angel now, but her voice has no lightness, no innocence in it. On the contrary, there is no emotion in his voice. It''s like an assassin. You''re-- As I was about to ask more, a young assassin jumped at me. A furious rush in the dark, guarded by a wise man''s sword. Several sword fights, sparks flying. He seems to be holding a dagger-like weapon, a little longer than a knife. Holding it against my back, it darts around me, approaching and departing. I catch a slash to the throat and push it back. "What are you?Why are you after us? I didn''t expect the answer to come if I asked, but I still couldn''t help asking. But, contrary to my expectations, the young assassin replied from a distance, his mouth poised. "You''re not in the master''s business. You have a flat way of speaking, with no emotion. Business?A merchant? Yes, because of you, the price of food is much more stable, and you can''t make much money on it, according to the master. "...... I see. So, you mean, it''s revenge for reduced speculative opportunities. I didn''t see that coming, and I didn''t see it coming, and I didn''t think they''d use a kid like this. I was taken aback in a double sense. "It''s all right, but you can''t kill me. Now, I''ll just pretend it never happened and you can go home to your master. That''s a no-no. Are you being threatened by someone named Master or something? You haven''t used your trump card yet. Thanks to the prolonged conversation, eyes that had become accustomed to the darkness gradually began to catch a clearer picture of the other person. A young body of about six feet four inches, so skinny that you could almost see his ribs through his light clothing. The single light in his eyes was obscured by one of his eyes, which was hidden by his bangs. The young assassin ran a hand through his bangs. "This is it. Then he brushed back his bangs. Another eye flashed. It wasn''t light reflecting off a distant bonfire, but the eye itself was glowing. A red, dull, suspicious light. Huh? "What''s up Angel? "The body, the body is not moving, Mr. Alec! "No way. I see a young assassin. My evil eye renders motionless whoever had eyes. "Magic Eye ...... Ask the wise man''s sword the eyes that he saw in the young assassin. The answer came quickly. I felt my stomach turn over. ...... I felt my stomach turn over. That''s it. The young assassin readied his mouth and pounced further. Gakkien! Akuchi and the Philosopher''s sword clash, sparks fly. ...... huh? Astonished assassin, unable to comprehend the scene in front of him. How can you move? It''s a different attribute. Her evil eye was like a legend, or perhaps a curse, that no human could escape or move. But it has no effect on non-humans. And my body is no longer human. That means it has no effect on me at all. d*mn it! The young assassin kicked the floor and leaped backwards. Now that his trump card hadn''t worked, he tried to escape. You''re not going to get away. I even kicked the floor to get ahead of her to flesh her out. Reflexively, a counterattack is unleashed with a slash, but I catch her wrist and stop her. Let go of me. "I won''t let go. I can''t let you use that eye any longer. I don''t know if you know this, but every time I use that eye, my life gets shorter-- I know. "Huh? "I know that much. But I can only do this. So said the young assassin. He already knew about the knowledge I had gleaned from the wise man''s sword, the magic eye that shortened his life with every use. "Then, All the more so. "Let''s not let use diminish its life. "...... huh? "A girl like you don''t deserve to trade your skills for your life. The young assassin stared at me with a look on his face, completely unable to understand what was being said. She stared at me with that look on her face. Before I knew it, the mouthpiece had fallen to the ground. 98 04. The Good Man Uncovers the Curse Without Noticing Why do you use that stuff?Did someone force you to follow them? Ask the assassin girl. Since she said the word "master," in this case the master is the most likely culprit. There are many people in the world who force a spell on children and then dispose of them. I wondered if it was something like that, but... But no. The girl categorically denied it. I was born this way. That''s right. I was a little surprised, but it happens. Born ...... my one and only treasure. The girl said and gently covered her right eye with her hand. Cherish and cherish, lovingly. Treasure, it seems, is the right word. As I watched the girl with Angel. ! Ha! The girl came to herself, kicked the floor and jumped backwards. She jumped straight out the window. Ah! I rushed to the window with a panicked Angier. The girl jumped out and, with the agility of a wild animal, fled from roof to roof. Don''t use it! I put my hands over my mouth and called out to the girl. The voice seems to have been heard, because the little body flying on the roof jolted for a moment. "Are you sure, Master Alec, that''s OK, let me go like that? Yes, I need to prepare myself. But if I use that eye on someone else, I''ll be punished by the Master. And I''ll be punished by the Master. It''s okay. Maybe I''ll come back. I''m the target, so you won''t be using it on anyone else for the time being. I see. Convinced Angel. I kept watching the girl running away in the moonlight night and thinking about what I could do for her. . The next day, in the aftermath of the feast, I worked on buying up the surplus food in the village of Dax. We subtracted the tax from the bountiful harvest, and each farmer had an idea and wanted to stockpile some more, and bought the surplus. We bought as much as we had, as if we didn''t refuse to accept anything that came our way. The surplus in this village, which has a self-sufficiency rate of over 1000%, was more than enough to feed a thousand people for a year. Night, the second night in the village. As I felt the warmth of Angel sleeping peacefully, I heard an almost inaudible small footstep. You slowly raise your body on the bed so as not to wake Angel up. Hi, I''ve been waiting for you. In front of me is the girl from yesterday''s assassin. Today she is without her weapon, but her right eye is still hidden by her bangs. I want to hear. Hmm? "Is that your girl? "Angier thing?Yes, that''s my fiancee, who will be my rightful wife. "Why don''t you hold it? Hmm? I nodded my head and said, "What are you talking about all of a sudden? "You''re a nobleman, and all men with money or power are desirable. "There seems to be a bit of prejudice. It''s sad that we can''t deny it completely. Because I am also a healthy man - no. Since I have been reborn in a young body, the urges and desires may be stronger than at the end of my previous life. Why don''t you hold her. If the woman is young, then the village has prepared a woman for you. "There you are. Yesterday''s welcome and banquet, and even a glimpse at today''s buy-in. The woman the village had prepared for me. I could feel the presence of beautiful women who, as a nobleman and a man of power, could be offered at any time if I wished. Noblemen are lustful, half-breed creatures who force women into their arms with their power. "Is that what your master said? "...... The girl looked straight at me. Apparently, you''re right. I thought for a minute and replied, "Maybe I don''t like that we''re not happy with each other. Maybe I don''t like that we''re not happy with each other. Happy? "Yeah, happy "What is happiness? I thought that''s where...or maybe that''s the situation (). It''s hard. Maybe I''d be happier if the people around me were smiling. I try not to think about it any more than that. Smile. "You know the smile, I know. . but I''ve never done it. You''ve never done that? A small nod. I didn''t need it. I think they''re happy because they don''t have to and they laugh. "Difficult I see. "Can you smile and be happy? "It happens. Usually it''s the other way around. "...... The girl fell into a slump. As I wondered if she was offended, I saw her mouth and the muscles in her cheeks twitching and twitching. It''s like she''s trying to put a smile on her face, and she''s challenging me to do so. I reached out my hand. I reached out with both index fingers and gently touched the corner of her mouth. "--! "Don''t run away. ." "You should shape your mouth like this, like this. "This, this? "Yeah, that''s a good one. There''s more like it. Then he grabbed the girl''s cheek at the same time with both hands and spread them out with a billow. Naturally, the girl''s face, the shape of her mouth becomes the shape of a smile. You can also go to ...... and tickle tickle tickle. "----! The girl jerked, jerked and stiffened. I tickled her armpits, but that didn''t seem to have any effect. The girl jumped off the page, turned herself around to cover her body with her arms, and looked at me warily. "What are you doing? That''s what makes me laugh. Now you''re getting something. "Ki, I''m here, but ...... "Don''t hold it back, Then he reached out again and said, "Oh, don''t touch me. Wow, don''t touch me. The girl stepped back further. It''s too soon. ...... scary. "Right. I''m sorry. Okay--how about this? Then he covered his face with his hands. Secretly casting a spell, I scattered the parts of my face in random places. When I removed my hands, my face, which was like a smile, was unveiled. "--pfft! "Oh, that''s nice. That''s the smile. "...... Ah How was it? "........................ bad, not After a bit of a long silence, what the girl squeezed out was surprisingly positive feedback. I tried to laugh at her, saying that this line would work. Do some facial tricks, tell some funny stories. I did all kinds of things to try to make the girl smile. It was all worth it, and by morning she was able to produce a faint, little spontaneous smile. But as the eastern sky began to turn white, as if the spell had been broken, her face slowly regained its hardness. It was as if I remembered that I was a dark dweller and that I didn''t have time for this - very much as I said it. ...... I''m going to go now. Yeah, see you later. "...... I thought I was going to jump over the window ledge with my hand on the edge - but the girl turned and stared at me. What''s going on? "You don''t say? "What? "Magic Eye, don''t use it. I thought I heard the words "like yesterday" at the end. "That''s okay now. You''re already getting rid of the diminishing lifespan from using it. "........................... ... Huh? Kyoton. The girl was dumbfounded, as if she had no idea what had happened. You got it? Yes. It''s a precious treasure. So you shouldn''t let using it shorten its life. So I took that limitation, or curse, or whatever it is--I took it off so I could use it longer. When? I grinned and held both hands simultaneously at the corners of my mouth with my index finger and lifted them gingerly into a smile. The girl gasped. That time ...... "Yes. "............ all that? It''s enough. The girl stared at me with incredulous eyes. 99 The Good Man Unleash the Unbreakable Curse The next day, the purchase was over, so we decided to leave the village and return to the house. Everyone in the village, including Von, saw us off with such force that it could have turned into another party. We were given a grand send-off and returned to the mansion with flying magic. Up in the sky, with Angier in my arms, I was enjoying the flight as much as I had come. I noticed that Angier, who wanted to entertain me, was staring at me in silence. What is it, Angel? Was it good? "What? "Master, that is. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea to leave things as they are. We believe that Mr. Alec''s life is in danger and it is better to find the real culprit: ...... That''s okay. In my arms, flinching in my arms, Angela cocks her head. "I''ve already got a bead on you by magic. "Really? Yes. I got a big hint that it''s for food speculation. I figured it out the night before last. "Right after she first arrived, you mean? That kind of thing. "That''s great, Mr. Alec. ...... I had already made the first move, and Angel was staring at me with enthralled eyes. "So you don''t have anything to worry about, Angel. "Yes! Angela''s worries were taken away. She returned to her usual lovely, bright smile. "Let''s go somewhere else for a change. The ocean?Or do you prefer the mountains? "I want to see the sea with Alec. "Okay. To make her wish come true, I changed the direction of my flight in a big circle. I was flying in the direction of the sea. . Night . Angier, who had been frolicking at the sea, was tired and got under the covers earlier than usual. Leaving her in the bedroom, I came to the study. I walked into the study and leaned back deeply into the soft chair and took a breath. There''s a lot of room. Hey, I''m here for you. A girl who appeared without a sound, as if she were oozing out of the darkness. I know and I''m seamless? "Hey, what''s your name? "Answer the question: ...... Dorothy "Dorothy, that''s a good name. Did the master give you that name? The girl--Dorothy shook her head slowly. "I''ve known that much for as long as I can remember. I see. Oh, yeah, I got you a present. I took out a snail I had picked up in the sea, put it on the desk and held it out to her. "Shells? "Have you ever heard the story that if you put your ear to a shell, you can hear the sound of the sea . Have you ever heard the story that if you put your ear to a shell, you can hear the sound of the sea. There is, though. "Yeah. Put your ear to it. Dorothy took the snail and held it to her ear, looking at it quizzically. "It really does sound like the sea. You will. "Magic? No, but . . that''s what magic does. I reached out my right hand. My outstretched index finger emitted a blur of light that was sucked into Dorothy''s snail. "What magic? You''ll see. "...... "...... "What magic? "Put that shell against your ear. Dorothy looked as if she had been pinched by a fox and put the snail to her ear again. "Hey, this, Startled, Dorothy pulled the shell away from her ear. That caused the sound to leak out. "What magic? "You''ll see. "...... "...... "What magic? "Hold that shell against your ear. What flowed was an exchange between me and Dorothy. "That''s magic, though, that''s simple magic, just recording your voice. "Yes. ...... tchotchkes tchotchkes I leaned over and tickled Dorothy''s armpit. "Ha-ha-ha, what are you doing? Dorothy jumped with a snap and hit her back against the study wall. The impact set off the snail. "Kyah-ha-ha-ha, what are you doing? The sound of Dorothy''s laugh was played. I was tickled, but I couldn''t imagine her laughing in a more joyful way than she usually does. My laugh ...... It''s more fun to laugh. "............ Dorothy didn''t answer, but seemed to be very pleased with herself. Now, since we''re here, let''s see if we can''t make some more-- Sorry. Suddenly Dorothy apologized. What''s wrong? I have to kill you, I have to repay the master. I have to repay the master. "Yes. I nodded. It would be. Maybe that''s her purpose to begin with, maybe even her reason for living. So I wasn''t surprised that Dorothy had come up with it. "I''m sorry, "Never mind. Dorothy, with a cold, conscious blank expression, took a piece of jewelry from her pocket. "What''s that? "Got it from the master. Just say yes, and then shut up and say nothing. Something to bring me down. ...... Sorry. Finally, Dorothy tightened her grip on the jewel. Light spilled from her fist, strands of light reflecting diffusely in the room. In Dorothy''s hand it flickers and flickers again, until it is strong enough to fill the room. You hold your hand in front of you. The light subsided, and there it was... "...... Dorothy? It was a huge hexenbiest that bore no resemblance to her former self. If she stood upright, she would be more than three meters tall, but she was bent over as if cramped. Its overall form was a wolf. He is a werewolf of over three meters and wears a deceitful aura all over his body. It''s that kind of power: ...... I was astonished to hear the wise man''s sword for an instant solution. That gave me an opening. Dorothy came charging in. She was instantly upon me and ripped me apart with her sharp claws. I blocked her with my wise men''s sword on the spur of the moment--but her power blasted me through the wall and into the night garden. ''''Whoa, whoa, whoa! A heaven piercing roar, and immediately afterwards, the monsters came flying in at even greater speed. Guard your claws and parry them away this time. With what little time you have left, ask the wise man''s sword again. This is how you will bring Dorothy back from this. The answer is--no. It''s a witchcraft tool that forces a human to become a hexenbiest, one that can''t be reversed no matter what until death. Only death can lift it, no exceptions. The hexenbiest is attacking even harder. Under the night sky, the wise man''s sword fights back and listens further. Then how do you die and come back to life right away? The answer was also no. It would take a power as powerful as that of a creator to cancel the death, to bring him back to life. At least I can''t. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Howling and rushing. I was blown away by the monster and crashed into the wall of the house. Something fell beside me with a thud. I turned to see what it was. What is it? "--Ha! Dorothy''s snail. This is the snail that I recorded her laughing. "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. On the other hand, a roaring Hexenbiest Dorothy that bears no resemblance to her former self . I''ll bring ...... back, I promise. I thought. There''s gotta be something, something. A way to help her, a way to bring her back. A curse that cannot return unless you die, a fact that it is impossible to revive. Still, I was--. !!! At that moment, a flash of inspiration ran through my head. Thinking and remembering (). And then the wise man''s sword tells me. And I hear the wise man''s sword. He caught Dorothy with his sage sword as she rushed at him, whirled around, and kicked her up into the air. The little time he had gained in doing so. He thrust his sword into the ground and pulled out a bag of materials. He put his hand in and used his magic. It''s a relay, so it doesn''t matter what it looks like. He yanked his hand out and pulled out a homunculus. A hexenbiest falls and you use Hershel''s magic on her. Dorothy''s soul was extracted and transferred to the homunculus. The hexenbiest stops moving and crashes to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust. It coughed up a cloud of dust, which gradually cleared away. "Gulp! The sound of my salivation sounded awfully loud. I think he''s nervous. I wondered if I was going to make it--I could make it. With renewed vigor, I looked across the clearing dust cloud. Instead, I saw Dorothy''s naked body restored to its original state. Dorothy''s body had lost its soul, or in other words, it had become dead, and its hexenbiest transformation was over. But the soul--and most importantly the soul that was temporarily transferred to the homunculus--was not "dead. I used Herschel''s magic again to transfer Dorothy''s soul from the homunculus to her body. There is no change, she did not become a hexenbiest. She was breathing again, and I saw that she was no longer a hexenbiest. "Fuuuu. ...... I was relieved. 100 The Good Man Uses Angels Dorothy, who is now a person again. Reaching for the bag of material again to make her some clothes for her bareheaded girlfriend. I felt a glance from a distance, and my hand stopped. When I turned around-- Father ...... mother ...... what are you doing? In front of the mansion, which is heavily destroyed by the battle all around, the father and mother, dressed in their loungewear, served by the servants, are sitting in their chairs, teacups in hand, in spectator mode. Theater. For some reason, those words popped up in my brain. "Foolishly, I was enthralled by Alec''s performance. "That was cool, Alec. "Thank you, Mother. But it was a battle, and it was not safe for me to be here. No, it''s not, honey. "Mm. I''ve been Alec''s parent for over a decade now. With a straight face, but somewhat proudly, the father said, "I know that monster! I know that Alec would have cut down a monster like that with a single blow if he wanted to. It''s ...... yes. Father was right. Dorothy, in terms of sheer strength, you''re not that strong. There are many spells and magical tools out there that force humans to become monsters. Basically, they increase the target''s strength, but they''re no better than Herschel''s secret methods. That''s why Herschel''s magic is so powerful and has led to disaster: ...... Hexenbiest Dorothy. If we wanted to, we could have killed her right away. But if he didn''t, it means Alec is after something else. Hmmm, and with that kind of power, you can watch the game in a sand mask. But I see, it was to help the girl. "That''s my boy Alec!I made a puppet on the way, and I saw that it must have done something impossible for an ordinary person to do. You know, I heard there''s a reputable minstrel in town about ten days ago. "My God!All right, let''s become patrons and have them spread the word about Alec''s achievement through poetry! "That''s nice! Father and mother said what they wanted to say with their usual flippant attitude and disappeared into the house with their servants in tow. ...... After they were gone, Dorothy, who had fallen this time, moaned. I ran to her. Dorothy?Are you okay? "Alexander ...... Carlisle? "Yeah, it''s me. Are you okay? The same words again. Slowly, Dorothy sat up with her hand on her forehead. Suddenly, I saw my body. The monster change caused her clothes to pop off and she was distracted by her fathers as she tried to make them. She is now naked, just as she was born. . ...... used as a plaything? I didn''t. You''re cool. Because I was taught that men are You told me that. You are not distracted, Dorothy, and that''s fine, but you can''t stay naked forever. I reached into my bag of supplies and used my magic to make her some clothes this time. I reconstructed her original clothes by imitation. ...... Dorothy stood up slowly and I stood up too. I couldn''t kill him. ...... "Yes. I couldn''t repay the master''s kindness. That''s a problem. It''s as if it happened to me. You almost killed me. I don''t know what happened, but I''m sure the master did you a favor that you would like to return. "Yes, there is. "Then there''s no denying it. I''m sure you were very fortunate to have received the favor. "...... Dorothy looked at me with a very surprised and complicated look on her face. "It''s still a problem, though. "What? Your master is going to kill me, even if it costs you your life. "...... Dorothy shrinks back. There''s no denying it. "The devil''s eye, yes. He was willing to sacrifice you to kill me. And you have no scruples in carrying it out. "Yeah, no. I don''t want to do that, because if you keep going like this, you''ll be gone sooner or later. "............ Dorothy looked more and more complicated. In a room that was more extravagant than the Carlisle mansion, a man was tipping a glass of wine in a room that was more extravagant than the Carlisle mansion, in a room that was nothing short of rich. At a distance there is a small platform where the gold is stacked in the shape of a pyramid. Even at night, the gold shines beautifully, reflecting the moonlight and the lights in the room. The man sips his wine, enraptured by the beauty of the nuggets. Excuse me. "Who''s there!I''ve always said that anyone who isn''t called upon is not to enter this room-- The man who was about to yell at me flinched at the sight of me. "Huh, Vice-Emperor. It''s nice to meet you, Kasey Federal. Palin! The man--Kersee is so surprised that he drops his wine glass. The glass breaks and the wine is splattered on the floor. Without a care in the world, Kersee stares at me with a deathly surprised look on his face. "Do you always serve this? I glanced at the gold pyramid and asked Kasi about it. The gold and its base have been cleaned up, but the weight of the nugget has lightly dented the base and the floor beneath it. That''s because it''s been there a long time. So I asked, but Kersee was too surprised to answer. "Hey, why are you here? I''m not going to make small talk, so I cut to the chase. I thought we''d make a deal. "Trading ......? "I''m going to buy a man . Her name is Dorothy. "--Ha!What is this about? "You don''t have to hide it. I''m not going to say a word about it. "...... Mm "I just want to buy Dorothy in a proper way (), Dorothy is indebted to Carthy. Gratitude is a difficult thing, not something you can say "okay" to if someone else says enough is enough. So I wanted to at least give Dorothy some satisfaction. To get her mind off of it. "Here''s what I''m willing to do. Then he took out a piece of parchment and handed it to Carthy. Vice-Emperor, Father of the Nation, and Ally of the Alliance. It was an official document signed by Alexander Carlyle. On it is written the amount of money he would like to buy Dorothy. Money is also credit. This parchment is worth more than a pyramid of gold from Carthy. "Will this be enough? "Will this be enough for what you''ve spent on her? Yes, they do. I could have had ten girls like that, and it would have been enough. "Did you recover everything as a merchant? "Of course. The size of the amount of money caused Carthy''s expression to change dramatically, and her face became the biggest smirk I''ve ever seen. I wanted this face, I wanted the words. I glanced to the side. And there was Dorothy. I had put a spell on Kersey to make her invisible and brought her with me. Dorothy didn''t say anything, but I could tell by the look on her face that she was happy. The "favor" may not be completely erased now, but more than 90% of it must be gone. At least there should be no more constraints on Dorothy''s behavior to force her to do anything. Then I''ll be on my way. Yeah, let me give you one thing, old woman. What is it? Carthy was all merchant face. "You''d better do something a little better, if you keep this up-- I reached out lightly and snapped my fingers, snapping them. The afterlife, the heavenly world . In a long line made by souls, one after another "Let''s see, soul number 2083955294, human name Carthy Federal. "What?What is this, where am I? "I''ll be judging () for the past (): ...... Wow, that''s an E rating. Would you rather be a pig or a cow in the next life? "What do you mean, what is this place ...... no way! The blood drained from Carthy''s face. Everyone in this world knows about the Last Judgment. He doesn''t believe it, but he knows that if it''s real, then he is. That''s why Kersee is distraught. No, no!I''m not dead, I''m not dead yet! * Carthy''s room. Me and Dorothy, falling down and blowing bubbles Carthy. Kersee is twitching. Her face is pale and her hair, which had been black, has turned pure white in a few moments. She must have been really scared. ...... I was thinking, when I saw an angel standing next to me. I''m not sure if this is the right thing to do.I didn''t know what was going on, because you called me out of the blue. I said, "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to bother you. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry to bother you all of a sudden. "That''s okay, I was just talking to him in the hallucination. Besides, I do these screenings every day, so I''m used to it. Thank you so much. . because it''s not realistic unless the judging results are as good as he knows they are. Seeing Carthy blowing bubbles and cramping, I knew my aim was successful. Simply put, I threatened Carthy. I used magic to hallucinate her, and then I summoned her, with the help of an angel, to threaten her with the afterlife if she continued as she was. It wasn''t a threat, either. At this point in time, if he died and was screened for reincarnation, he would be graded E. He was born as a B-ranked man with business acumen and enough gold to pile up in a pyramid, but he did a lot of things () with it and now he''ll be an E-ranked man. For a moment I thought that many souls would be like this ....... I''m going to go home. Yes, thank you. I saw the angel off. When he was completely gone, I turned to Dorothy. "...... "What is it, Dorothy? "Was that an angel? Yes, I do. "You can use an angel on your chin? Surprised, amazed and incredulous ...... such a look on Dorothy''s face. 101 07. A good man makes a sword that cuts the dimension The next morning. Good morning. Ohayashama ...... Angel, who had been sleeping soundly all night without waking up from the mess of the night with a magical effect, showed me his usual lovely face as he woke up. Good morning Angel. Come on, wash your face. Let''s make today a beautiful day. Whew! Angel smiling with sleepy eyes. Immediately after sending her out of the room, a black shadow descends from the ceiling, as if to take her place. I''m not sure if it was that kind of technique that made it look like a black shadow until a second after it landed, or something else. It was Dorothy. "Good morning, Dorothy. How did you sleep last night? It was a good night''s sleep. "Yeah, that''s good. Where did you sleep, by the way?I tried to get Amelia to get a room for me, but she was gone before I knew it. "The Ceiling "Crawl space? Dorothy gave a small nod. Maybe it''s energy-saving, but her voice is usually quiet and flat, and these gestures are quiet. "Here in the ceiling. I nodded my head as Dorothy stammeringly replied, "There was a ceiling in this house? There''s an attic in this house?It''s supposed to be a pretty lean design. There it is. . secluded, narrow, and gloomy. "Oh my God. "Very comfortable "Oh, so you''re comfortable with that. "Attic of the Year That was very "like" her. Even now she is quiet and doesn''t answer much unless she is asked. I don''t know if she was born that way or if she was raised that way. I just happened to "see" her. A divine ability, one of divine magic. I saw the current rank of that person''s soul. Not like the glasses I made before, not the past, but the ranks now. It''s to see what happens if you die now and do the final judgment, like the angel did last night. The result was ...... a sad one. The soul was black, or dark. Perhaps because she had been an assassin - a killer for so long - Dorothy''s soul was low in rank, black and dark. That''s why I don''t like to think of it as a place of gloom and darkness. "I''m going out today, what about you, Dorothy? "...... Dorothy fidgeted and hesitated, but kept her mouth shut. What''s the matter with you? I want to follow you. I have to return the favor. "I see. I think they''ve decided to reward me now. And that''s very good. I wouldn''t let him do what Carthy did, and I know how stubborn Dorothy was when she said "repayment," so that''s a good thing. Even now, I can lead her to do a good deed. It''s a good ....... "Is there something about wanting to follow you that makes you unable to come? "Outside, nice weather. Like. I looked out the window. Even though it was early in the morning, the morning sun was shining through, signaling a clearer day. "The light is taboo. "As an assassin? Dorothy nodded quietly. "If you''re going to the gloomy place, I''ll follow you. "Hmmm. I thought. What''s going on. Knock knock. "--! As soon as there is a knock on the door, Dorothy jolted and shuffled!And disappeared into the ceiling. He was gone in the blink of an eye, and I would have missed it if it weren''t for the amazing gesture. "Mr. Alec, your meal is ready for you. From outside the room, Amelia announced, "Thank you, I''ll be right there. Thank you, I''ll be right there. "I''ll get right to it. Amelia''s footsteps gradually faded away. When they were barely audible, Dorothy came down again with a start. There''s a race of ninjas in the East, and they act just like the ones I''ve heard about from the wise men''s sword. Breakfast? That''s right. "So ...... What''s going on? "I can''t get to the dining room from the attic. "I see. "I have to repay the favor, but this mansion is hard to find ...... "Hmmm. I thought. "Do you want to keep following me? Dorothy nodded quietly. I see. ...... So I''ll be back in a minute. Touch the sword of the wise man and seek knowledge. The ninja I remembered, and what the ninja and Dorothy had in common, must be fused together. I sought knowledge from the sword of the wise man, a tool that could do it. Will you wait long enough? Okay. Dorothy said and then disappeared again with a whimper into the ceiling. It was a tremendous gesture, after all. . Enough to prepare. When I returned to the bedroom, Dorothy appeared again. "I''m home! "...... "Yes, this I held out the dagger to Dorothy. A dagger made with scales, claws, and a bit of blood from Calamity, the guardian dragon of the empire who lived in the house. What''s this? It''s like you don''t have a replacement for your previous weapon. ...... okay? It''s good to have. Besides, you can follow me with this, right? ?"? Dorothy accepts the dagger with a look on her face, saying she doesn''t understand what it means. Briefly, if you cut someone''s shadow with the dagger, you have the ability to hide in their shadow. "A shadow? "Yeah, try it. And then prompted Dorothy. I meant my shadow in the morning sun, but she slashed her own shadow. Immediately afterward, Dorothy''s body was sucked into her own shadow. Well, it doesn''t matter if it''s your shadow. A moment later, Dorothy came out. "How did it go? "It was gloomy, dark and narrow. That''s right. "The Best Place I wondered about it and chuckled. "It was like riding in a carriage. Maybe. Yes, you can move with the person. Now step into my shadow. Okay. Dorothy did as she was told and was sucked into it, this time slashing my shadow. I moved, partly to test it. I left the room and went down the hallway and into the bathroom. Then Dorothy reappeared. "Yeah, this is what it feels like. So now you can keep up with me, right? Even without the attic. "...... What''s going on? Dorothy looked very confused for some reason. "Your shadow, it''s uncomfortable. "Huh? "Bright, wide and somehow divine. "Godly "No fish can live in clean water. "You know the hard word, But divine, or . Her''s was dark and gloomy, so I wonder if it''s the soul difference ......? I thought I should do something for you. But I''m all alone. Dorothy carefully held the dagger I had given her. Here, I''ll go with you. Yeah, follow me. Dorothy nodded and cut my shadow again. She crawled into the uncomfortable shadow, but with a heartlessly happy face. 102 08. The Good Man Becomes Completely invincible After breakfast, I went out in the garden. I don''t have any plans for the morning, so I decided to help Angel practice. It''s nice to meet you, Mr. Alec. Yeah, good luck with that. "Yes! Angel was prettily fired up. Since the first magical aptitude check, Angier has continued to enhance his highest aptitude healing magic. It''s healthy and flirtatious how she keeps saying she wants to be useful for me in my time of need. Let''s begin. "We''ll start with the Mpapat formula? "Yes. Ange said and increased his magic power. The Mupapato method, an efficient way to use magic at the limit of a person''s magic power. I first taught it to the students of the magic school, and of course Angier knows it too. I''ll follow Angier''s breathing so that I can give you advice. Angier catches his magic wave and uses healing magic at its peak. Yeah, no complaints. You have invoked the healing spell at 99% of your limit. I didn''t even have to get worked up; it came off as normal and easy. I huffed a few breaths for advice, but it didn''t seem to be necessary. Speaking of healing magic alone, Angel is already one of the top two wielders in the empire. That magic is on me. Huh? "Huh? I raised my voice, and Angier reacted with it. Despite the disruptive events, Angier''s healing magic was steady. But. What is it, Master Alec? You''re not recovering. "What?What does that mean? "Didn''t it take to begin with?It''s like wearing a raincoat on a rainy day. "Uh, ...... What does that mean? Surely Angier''s healing magic is activated. But as I''ve likened it, you can feel the rain through your raincoat, but your skin isn''t getting wet at all--it''s not healing. I wonder what''s going on. "Poka Poka "Hi! Angier shouted in surprise. Dorothy interrupted the conversation. She stepped out of my shadow and stuck her upper body out. "Dorothy, what''s wrong? "Warmth, uncomfortable "Plump? I went through the uncomfortable. She said she loved the gloom, so I didn''t have to wonder how warm it was. The question is, what''s "chirpiness"? What does that mean? Dorothy silently sliced her palm with the dagger I had given her, leaving her upper body exposed. "--! The sight was so painful that Angier couldn''t help but gasp, and his palm snapped off. It healed instantly. Poochy. "You mean the recovery is flowing to Dorothy? Dorothy nodded. Once the situation was understood, Angier stopped the healing spell. "I''m not sure what you mean, Master Alec. "...... I''ll pick my jaw and think. I take stock of the situation, assess it, and then ask the wise man''s sword for an answer. "I feel like it''s because of that swap you made for Dorothy. "Swap? "I used Hershel''s magic to save Dorothy by swapping bodies. Your body and soul seem to ''remember'' it. Once the soul is transferred to the homunculus and then back out. Swap. "That, combined with the ability to enter the shadows, produced an unexpected effect. As long as Dorothy is in the shadows, she''s able to intercept the healing or strengthening magic of the shadow''s master - or should I say host - for example. That''s right. Angel was convinced, but Dorothy looked unconvinced. "What''s the matter with you? "I''ll rob you of your recovery. Am I bothering you? "No, it''s not! Before I could answer, Angier blurted out in an assertive tone, "No? No? "Yes!Mr. Alec is so strong that he doesn''t need to recover. So there''s no problem at all. "...... so This time Dorothy understood. Angel''s comforting look was distinctly relieved. I think I''m lifting myself up too much, but if it makes Dorothy feel better, that''s okay. I sent a friendly "thank you" to Angel, but... ? Angel innocently stared back at me with a smile on her face, craning her neck to look back at me. ...... bare, was it? In the afternoon, I went alone to clean out the remnants of the rebellion. Since the rebellion in the north, I''ve been sweeping the remnants of the rebellion from time to time. At first, they mostly targeted snobby Eliza, but lately they''ve been moving around here and there like a guerrilla instead of directly targeting Eliza. Whenever I get information about it, I try to destroy it. Haaaaah! Cut into the rebels who have taken over an entire farm village. Throughout the village, I cut down opponents who emerge one after another with my wise man''s sword. They used the terrain to their advantage to meet me. Some meet me head-on in the front, others use the rural buildings as shields and fire their magic from afar, and still others leap through the rooftops and surprise me from the sky. Incapacitate them one by one with a slash, bind them with magic cuffs, and continue on. When you have killed fewer than three hundred people, you will reach the central square where the villagers are trapped and gathered in one place. You can go to ....... The man in front of me looked familiar. A man who still led the dozens of men left, smiling fiercely against the backdrop of the hostage villagers. This is the man who had attacked me before and freed me after beating me up. "You seem to remember me. "You''re still doing this?When you do that-- "Phew! The man laughed at the cynicism. If you look closely, he was missing from his right wrist. Technically, he didn''t have a hand. At the end of the wrist is a sharp blade with an attachment. The man put on the magic cuff and released it. And now that we''re here, we''re here. "Can''t you stop doing bad things yet? "What''s that about? A man grins. "I''m just showing you this to say thank you, you know?Thus-- "Geez! The man thrust his blade into one of the captive villagers. You can now feel your flesh being cut directly into pieces. ...... That''s going to be hard to do in your next life, right?You can still start over from now on-- I''m not interested. The man said this while continuing to grin. Even though the whole world knows about reincarnation and the Final Judgment, there are not zero people who don''t believe in it, or who are momentarily fine with it, as long as it''s all right now. It''s going to be hard to convince them. I''ve seen the soul of a man with the ability of a godhead. It''s already very dark. It''s the least I can do to stop him now-- "Mmmm! My feet flashed. A magic circle appeared, not the magic I had wielded. The trap, and the wards. This has happened before. So I immediately understood the situation. The man would show me his wrist and slash the villagers just to stop me. "Don''t flinch!Well, you can''t do that. "What is this? Diastima Wards. This is a reminder of all the mistakes we''ve made in the past. Diastima ...... I had a guy who failed because he would have listened to humans, so I made him a guy who would have listened to anyone with a soul. It took me half a year to prepare, but you can''t move, can you?I don''t care who you are, you still have a soul. "...... Listen to the wise man''s sword. The Diastima Warding, as the man says, is a great warding that engulfs the earth and restricts all actions of the soul bearer inside. Its effect is also absolute, even if I transform into a homunculus, my actions are restricted because I''m a soul-bearer. It''s one that cannot be broken by force. Hey!You, take that guy out! At the man''s command, my men were closing in on me. Are you sure you''re okay to come in? "Hey, the effect is only for one person. That''s right. ...... From front, back, left and right, four of them slashed at me in unison. Zash!Crunch!Zuppah! "Geez! "What, what! "How can you move? They intercepted the four men with their wise men''s swords, and with a slash that took away their combat ability, they all screamed and backed away. With a slash just enough to rob them of their fighting ability, they all scream and back away. Silly, silly, how can you move? The man was astonished. He had absolute confidence in his warding, and his astonishment at having it broken. I glanced at my shadow to make sure that Dorothy hadn''t come out--that she couldn''t move--and then I said, "This is it. "That''s enough. "d*mn it! She regained her grip on the sword of the wise men. and subdued the men anew. 103 09. The Good Man Purifies the Soul After subduing the rebellion, mostly because it was the first time, the main culprit put the magic cuffs on his hands as usual and put them around his neck. Still, if you''re ......, there''s nothing more you can do. After that, I returned to the mansion with flying magic. We went down to the yard and walked around for a while. I found the guy you wanted. "Calamity. "Lord? The guardian dragon was lying in a corner of the garden with its huge body curled up like a cat. He noticed me coming and looked up. "I need your help with something, okay? "For the sake of the Lord, even your life is out of consideration. It''s not that big of a deal. You can do magic, one way or another. What kind of things you want? Strengthening magic and weakening magic. I''ll give you something simple that will take effect right away. "Yes, sir. Calamity deployed a magic circle. The sight of the dragon reclining and deploying its magic seemed divine. A flash of magic enveloped me. Will this do? I don''t know. I looked down and asked the question. The sun is on my back so the shadows are coming in front of me, and I am now in a position to face Dorothy as she emerges from it. I''m stronger. Dorothy said and reached for a garden stone right next to her. With her thumb and forefinger, she pinched the stone and shattered it. "You''ve got a power up. I knew the power-up would go to you. "Yes. "Calamity, next time, please. "Yes. Calamity worked more magic. Dorothy''s eyes glazed over and she fell asleep. Sleep magic. With the help of Calamity, tested one after another. Enhanced magic, weakening magic, and pure offensive magic. Regardless of the type, it seems that when you''re in my shadow, it all comes down to you, Dorothy. ...... After finishing the test, Dorothy didn''t say anything, but her eyes were shining. I can repay you with this--even though I can''t read your mind, I can clearly see that Dorothy thinks so. Then let''s make her feel a little better. "Calamity, I want you to go along with the test a little longer. Whatever. I''ll go first this time. Close your eyes and feel Dorothy''s presence. While I was casting the spell on Calamity, I was doing some analysis, just to be sure. I found out something interesting, so I did it. I open my eyes and see Calamity. There: ...... It wasn''t Calamity that reacted first, but Dorothy. She recognized him right away. "How is Calamity. Can you move? "Move?...... mmm. Calamity freaked out, jumped. She struggled, but she couldn''t move. I feel like I''ve been trapped. Was this the Lord? "My Magical Eye ......? Calamity and Dorothy, nodding to them. "Yes, Dorothy''s magic eye. "No. ...... It''s what I was born with "After using it, I understand now. This is a special skill, to use it, you need blood--blood, as in blood. "Yes. "It''s available to me while Dorothy is in the shadows, it seems to have happened. "So ...... murmuring to himself, Dorothy. It is the indifferent reaction of a quiet person, but her eyes are even brighter than before. It''s the brightest I''ve seen since I met her. I''ve released Calamity''s bonds from the evil eye. In a series of steps, I''ve put together what I can. Combining Hershel''s magic with a homunculus and a dagger in shadow stitching allows me to use the unique skills of the person in my shadow to replace any magic they cast on me. Now Dorothy and Sun can do it. It''s a versatile combination technique. Something else: I was wondering if there was anything else at ....... "Lord. "Hmm?What''s up Calamity I wonder what will happen if you use your magic eye on him. I see. You''re right, Calamity, you''ve got a good point. It would be good to see that too. What happens if you use a unique skill on him. You certainly should try it. So I''m going to try it, Dorothy. "Yes. "So--what? The moment I saw her again, I stopped moving. It wasn''t stopped by the evil eye, it was stopped by the presence of "her" that I saw. What? Kyoton and craned Dorothy. Such a Dorothy was white. Her soul was white. Because of her powers as a divinity, Dorothy''s soul, which had been black not long ago as an assassin, had turned white. When I told this to Dorothy, she looked at me and wondered what was going on. Calamity, the empire''s guardian dragon and a primordial transcendent being, said. "I suppose my act of taking the Lord''s place as a god and protecting him counts as a good deed. "...... Ah Okay, so that''s the interpretation. "A miracle of the Lord, isn''t it? 104 10. A good man forgives the sins of angels The night study. With only the pale light twinkling, I summoned an angel. That female angel I was in charge of in my rebirth and with whom I''ve had a relationship ever since. It''s you again. I''m sorry. But I need your help. "Power? I want to see the color of some people''s souls. You can see it. The angel tilted his head. "You''re a godlike person, you can do it. I can only see the ''now''. I want to go back a while and see the moment of change. That''s right. According to what the wise man''s sword told me, as a divine being, I cannot do it, but the convenience of seeing and judging souls reborn every day in the field. An angel can see a soul''s whole life effortlessly. I''d say he specializes in that. Okay, I get it. Whose is it you see? Well, no, I just need your help. The angel was getting more and more tense. I need your help, literally. I told him about Dorothy''s case and how I could borrow her inherent ability if I put her in the shadows. The homunculus and Herschel will take care of that for you, but you can still use your ability if you''re in the shadows without it. I told the angel about it. "Oh, really? I won''t say free. I''m not saying that for free.And maybe you can. I don''t think so. Why? Now it''s our turn to shake our heads. I did a little thing a long time ago. I was down on the ground playing with a friend of mine and we were bathing by the spring and we were spied on. "Oh my God. I shouldn''t have used my powers on the humans to get back the clothes that were taken away from me. I''ve been tagged, there''s nothing more to go on. I''m sorry. It''s okay, though. The angel shrugged. It''s a look that says, "I don''t care about that now. "It''s okay if you want to help. You do a lot of things, and it''s fun to watch you do them. Thank you. Here you go. I''ll give the angel a different dagger. I give the angel a new dagger, different from the one I gave Dorothy. She took it and stood up and cut my shadow as I stood in front of the light. She slipped into the shadow. I stared at the shadow. Aside from the angel, there was another person in my shadow. I drew on the angel''s power. Silently I saw Dorothy''s soul lurking in the shadow. The colors of her soul have flashed before me like a lantern since birth. Born a human just barely passing E rank, Dorothy''s soul was darker than when she was born, partly because she was picked up by Kersee and used for her own good. Gradually, it turned darker and darker, and then one moment it was all white - purified. That''s great. An angel came out of the shadows and said with a look of admiration. Did you see that? "And by the way. I''ve never seen a soul cleansed in an instant like this. I''ve seen millions of souls and I''ve never seen a pattern like this. It''s an amazing story. Really. ...... What''s going on? I notice the angel staring at me. I noticed an angel staring at me, "Yes, you purged your soul like that, but I was wondering if that would affect your soul itself?For example, if there''s a really bad guy who is a horrible, irredeemable villain, I wondered what would happen if you purified him. "I see. It doesn''t seem to be affecting you this time, but maybe we shouldn''t do it too much. "...... It was a quandary. Redeeming the bad guys or patronizing the bad guys. I guess it''s one or the other, and it''s open to interpretation. If it''s the former, I''m going to do it even if I''m stopped: ....... "Good riddance. An angel crawled out of my shadow. Okay, I''ll be back. "Yeah. Thank you. The angel opened the gate to the heavenly realm and tried to return--but . Pfft. I held my nose and winced as if I had hit something. Te Te Te Te Te. ...... Huh? What''s going on? It''s funny, they can''t get through. Impossible to pass? "Yes. The angel touched his open gate sticky. It''s as if there is an invisible wall, stopping you from touching it. That''s funny. ...... What''s wrong, I ask the wise man''s sword. With the wise man''s answer, I opened a new gate. I used my divine magic to open it. How''s that? Let''s see. ...... Oh, I can get through. Why? "It''s just that: ...... look at yourself. "Yourself ......?Oh, my soul. Yeah, we''re up a little bit in rank. So the gates I used to be able to get through are now ''too narrow'' to get through. "No. ...... I''m going up?I thought I''d never be able to do it again. ...... Amazing Angels . Apparently, the increase in soul rank with my cooperation also applies to angels. 105 11. The Good Man Relieves the Unsaved Soul What does that mean ......? The angel looks at his hands and is astonished. ''How is this possible? No, I''ve never heard of it. Really. I thought it was because I became a deity. I think not. For a "I think", the angel denied it in a rather definitive tone. It must have been very uncommon. Why ......? Why? I mean, for me, I want to know if it actually works. Glancing at the shadow. Dorothy in the shadows. Me and the angel, both Dorothy''s soul seems to have been "purified". If this continues, we''ll be reborn with at least a C next time we''re born, and hopefully a B or A grade. But what good is it if it''s only for looks? Of course, we can''t test Dorothy''s reincarnation - we can''t even be sure since we''re going to kill her. "Effective" means reincarnated? That''s my girl, an angel who does it every day, and she immediately understood what I was thinking. Yeah, it''s hard. "...... cooperation, would you like to try? "Cooperation? I''m curious to see where it''s going, too. Fearfully, the angel was beginning to get curious eyes. "Hey brother-in-law, what are you doing in a place like that? "Hosen, or just waiting for a man. ''Waiting for people?Why wait in the garden and not in the mansion? I smiled and changed the subject. It will be some time yet before the angels "bring them in. "How''s your wife, by the way, Mrs. Hossen? Oh, everything''s fine. The doctor took a look at all three of them and they all sound like men. Give me a good name, brother-in-law. "Yeah, I''ll think about it. I hope you have a strong child. That''s okay. The children that will be born to Hossen will be fine souls. "I see! Horsen''s face lit up with a gasp. "If that''s your brother-in-law, you''re right. Ha-ha-ha, this will be worth working on. There is a saying that the son of a frog - the son of a frog - is definitely going to be a fierce general. When I was chatting with Hossen about trivial matters. "Hmm? "What''s up Hosen, "It was such a beautiful day just now, and then it started to cloud up. And what is ......?This sign. Hossen''s eyebrows are drawn tightly together. The strongest warrior in the Empire, Hossen Chohi. He seemed to be the first to notice something strange in the air around him. ''''Brother-in-law!'''' "Yes. Something stagnant began to gather in front of our eyes. It was like a thundercloud, or more like a dusky gas, gathering and swirling around in a circle. This is ...... not good. Horsen became the face of a complete warrior. Immediately afterward, a bolt of lightning struck from the blackened sky. The lightning shot out the black stuff, and with it, it quickly materialized. "Here it comes! "Wait. I''ll take care of it. "...... Naru, you''ve been waiting for this. Hossen, who had been a warrior just before, instantly relaxed his air. He grinned and stepped back to spectator mode. Let''s see, brother-in-law. "Yeah, I''ll try. I pulled out the wise man''s sword on my back and held it at the ready. The enemy in front of me slowly appeared. "Froggy? Hossen reacts with a half-smile. What appeared was a frog about fifteen centimeters in size. It was a frog about fifteen centimeters in size. "Geez! "------! The moment the frog chirped, I jumped away with my wise man''s sword at the ready. At about the same time, the area around the frog melted. An area up to three meters in diameter melted in an instant! "What the hell is this?! I see, just by existing and spreading (), it''s a disaster waiting to happen, so to speak. I saw a frog with the ability of a godlike person . The soul''s rank was G-rated. It was a blackish black that seemed pregnant with all kinds of bad luck and was unbearable to look at. I asked the angels to do this for me. Some souls, like Azazel, are forced to be evil no matter how many times they are reincarnated. I asked him to send such a soul into this garden. That''s this frog. The frog is small in size, but if you look closely you can see that its belly is very colorful and venomous looking. A single golden line runs from the top of the head down the back to the buttocks. It looks and feels like something out of the ordinary. Let''s take it down at any rate! I swung my wise man''s sword and jumped at the frog. As I swung my sword straight down, the frog looked up and let out another "gekko" sound, this time spitting out a mouthful of poisonous breath. I didn''t care to slash at him with my wise man''s sword. I thought I could shake off the poisonous breath with the pressure of my sword--but... "Yes! "Poisonous breath entangled in the sword. Pay up, brother-in-law!That kind of stuff is bad! screams Hossen. I judged as much and tried to ward off the poisonous breath from the wise man''s sword, but the sword, clinging to the poisonous breath, was heavy. It was heavy whether I swung it up or down. It''s not like a physical weight. It''s as if she was moving her arm underwater, a tremendous resistance. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! With all his might, he drew his sword and slammed the poisonous mass into the ground. The ground melted in an instant as he sprinkled the poisonous breath on it. The ground melted into mush all around, creating a huge hole in the center that was almost impossible to see the bottom. This one was safe for now. God''s metal, baboons. The wise man''s sword made from it is safe for now, but it''s doubtful it will hold up against this horrendous poison. (!!!!) The wise man''s sword secretly protested. The will not be defeated by that thing coursed through my head. While I floundered, the frog made no significant movement. It was just standing there, but the disaster-class monster was spreading harm just by being there. The area around the frog gradually melted. Grass, trees, stones, and even the earth itself was being dissolved by the frog''s poison. ...... transformation. "Oh! Tweeting, I created a homunculus and transferred my soul to it. Taking the sword of the sage from its original body, it goes to the frog. Intercepted by the poisonous breath, I swing the sword down without a care in the world. Even in his empowered body, the poison breath was heavy, but he didn''t care as he rushed forward. It sliced through my shadow, shrouding the frog. The shadow is torn open and the frog is swallowed by it. I thrust my sword into the shadow, which I''ve imprisoned with my poisonous breath. I thrust the final blow with the power of a godlike figure - the power of a goddess. Immediately after the crunching sensation, the frog''s body bursts from within the shadow, spreading the poisonous liquid. The explosive spattering of the venom was to be expected. I wrapped myself in magic and covered the frog. The venom burned my body, slipping through the wall of magic. Still refusing to budge, I put my body into turtle pose and cover it to prevent the frog''s venom from completely leaking out, then return my soul to its original body. Feng ...... Do not do it, brother-in-law, how did you do what? I don''t know anything about it, but Hossen doesn''t doubt my victory. Smiling at Horsen, I explain. He smiles and explains, "As well as preventing it from spattering, I used the body of the homunculus as a sacrifice to cleanse--no, neutralize it. I put it together. Maybe the poison is safe now. "I see!That''s my brother-in-law. That''s my brother-in-law. He''ll melt all your weapons. Horsen said and smiled broadly to himself. Hossen is always more pleased with my results than I am. "I don''t want to do this, I gotta brag to my brother about what I just saw! Horsen ran into the mansion, reversing his words Father and his merry band of friends. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to call Hosen and his friends. When I was alone, I watched and waited for the frog''s poison to be neutralized. Moments later, the angel came again. "How was it? G-rated souls, three times it was decided to be reborn as ''enemies of humanity''. Yeah, it felt like that. So?The angel''s face was both impressed and amazed when he said, "I''m sorry, that was one time. It only took one. E-ranked, I''m being reborn as a human being. Apparently, the cleansing is actually working well. 106 12. Desired of good men and maids "Amelia, can I have a moment? In the house, I called out to Amelia, the maid, who was cleaning the house. When I called her, she stopped cleaning and turned to me, wiping her hands clean with her apron. Yes, sir. Yes, Master Alec? I need your help, or rather, your help with something. "...... Amelia opened her mouth wide open. "What is it, Amelia, you don''t look so surprised. "--Ha!No, it''s nothing! Amelia was buzzing and waving her hands. "I''ll do anything I can to help you, Alec-sama!Please tell me anything! Thank you Amelia. I told Amelia about the shadow. When you are in my shadow, you will be able to use his abilities on me. Explain to her that and that I''ve only tried it with Dorothy so far. So I''d like to have Amelia come in and see if she can use her skills with me. "Yes!I''ll do my best!But ...... skills that Mr. Alec can''t do and I can?What is that? "Don''t be modest. I smiled at Amelia. "Amelia is an amazing maid. There are a lot of things that Amelia can do that I can''t. "...... Amelia is puzzled again. I know this is preaching to the Buddha, but maids'' work is often not enough, even if you only have knowledge. I know that. Even the way you polish the stairway railing has different degrees of force. You polish them so that they look the shiniest when you enter at the right angle. "...... "Amelia? ...... haha, sorry Gene!You''ve been watching me that much. "Yeah. Thanks again, Amelia. So, do you want to help me out? "Of course!I''ll do anything for you, Mr. Alec. Use me as you wish! Spirited Amelia. For enlisting her help, I gave her the dagger of the Shadow Slayer. Now, if you''ll excuse me: ...... Amelia took the dagger and crouched down next to my shadow as if she was afraid. A nobleman''s mansion is lavishly lit with glass, so shadows are normally created even indoors. You''ll be able to find out what''s going on with the shadows and you''ll be able to get inside. ...... You''re here. Now that Amelia was in my shadow, I could use her skills. I kind of knew how to do it in both my head and body. I''m going to take over Amelia''s job and clean the room. Actually, I tried that a long time ago. Right after I got the Philosopher''s Stone, I tried to draw on the maid''s knowledge, but I couldn''t do a lot better with just her knowledge. It was completely different then. I did the same thing with the same knowledge, but this time it worked. Amelia''s experience, and her skills. They made the maid''s job work better. I finished cleaning the room all over with a quick shuffle. Here we are. Yeah, that''s all right, Amelia. Come on out. "...... At my call, Amelia came out of the shadows. "Amelia? She is somehow stunned. Her eyes are glazed over and her skin is exuberant. "Amelia? "--Ha! Calling her a little hard, she came to her senses and hurriedly made up for it. "S-Sorry, Mr. Alec! What''s going on? "I''m feeling a little flippant inside of that ...... Mr. Alec. Yeah, Dorothy said something like that too. You feel the same way there. It made me feel hot and kind of comfortable and I didn''t know what to do. ...... Remembering that she was in the shadows, Amelia held her cheeks in an exhaled "whew" as she was hyperventilating, and let out a breath. You may feel the same way, but you feel differently than Dorothy. Well, that''s something that varies from person to person. People''s tastes are all different, and even with the same food, some like it hot and some like it warm. "Thank you, Amelia. "No. ...... It''s my pleasure. That''s an interesting reaction nonetheless. It''s like ...... or is that too much to ask. That was rude to Amelia. . That night, the maid salon. In the Carlisle mansion, the block where the maids live and the block where the masters of the house live are separated. Although in the same mansion, it is structurally isolated and independent. The Carlisle mansion is what is commonly referred to as a two-generational house, and the Carlisle mansion is an exaggerated version of it. In the Carlisle mansion, within the separate blocks, there is a space for the maids to use in common. In the morning it''s for roll call and business communication. The evening is for the maids'' private communication. It''s a space whose role is very different in the morning and evening. In the salon, some young maids who are close to Amelia were chatting with her. "Is it true? "Yes, really . It was hot and warm and pleasant and very filling. ....... I''ve never seen anything like that. "Wow. ...... It''s the same as ......, which I''ve only heard about in stories. One of the young maids asks Amelia, "What do you mean by that? The most important words were too shy to be heard in a loud whisper, but the young maids in the room all understood the meaning. "I''ve never been there either. Amelia prefaced that by saying, "I think it''s the same. "But I think it''s the same. I think it''s just like when I was thinking of Alec and I was thinking of myself. "I see. ...... I like ...... The maids thought longingly of the experience Amelia described. "Hey, maybe we can''t do that either. "Huh? "Because it''s not that kind of thing (), and you don''t have to hold back with Miss Angel. ""Absolutely!" The maids shouted in unison. Their eyes were all shining at the same time. Alec doesn''t know. Coupled with Angier''s constant presence and the fact that he has one foot in the dying range of mental age. Alec doesn''t realize that there are many women of advanced age who adore him at his side. . The next day . After getting up in the morning and dropping Angel off at Calamity''s for practice, I was wondering what I was going to do today. Just as I was wondering what we were going to do today, there was a knock on the door. There''s a knock on the door and a bunch of maids come in. "What''s up, guys? Amelia, what''s this? Ask Amelia, who is leading the way. I wondered why all the maids looked like they were expecting me. "Mr. Alec, I need you to do something for me! "Hmm?What? "Everyone let me in, Master Alec! "In me?It''s a shadow. ""Please! The young maids, whose faces I see every day, bowed to me in unison. I thought for a moment and looked at Amelia. Her soul is being purified a little. It would have the same effect on the other maids. I don''t know why I''m asking, but it wouldn''t be wrong to let her into the shadows. You won''t have any reason to refuse. When I said that, the maids all beamed and were extremely happy. 107 13. Good people, create a sacred area On this day, I was in the living room studying various things with the Philosopher''s Sword while watching Angel study. After a few minutes of alone time, Amelia came in with a knock at the door. Excuse me. Master Alec, the Miller is here to see you. "Yeah, through. It''s already here. With a loud voice, Miller walked into the living room. His hair seems even whiter, but his eyes are brighter and his expression is as youthful as his wrinkles. It''s a look that reminds me that all historical "old generals on the battlefield" must have been like this. The mirror sat on the sofa across from me. At that moment. "Step back. Dorothy emerged from the shadows and went in front of me. She held the dagger in her backhand and pointed it at the mirror. "Holy shit! Suddenly, the table was overturned, and tea sets and sweets were scattered on the floor. Angier screams in surprise. "Huh? Miller squinted and laughed. ''What is it, Dorothy? "This man is dangerous. It''s still dangerous. You said to the mirror, not to Dorothy. "Kaka, people don''t change much. Especially the scent of blood, which cannot be taken away overnight. Really? That girl is quite something. Speaking of which, Miller. I thought so, and I can''t wait to get it. Be that as it may. "Dorothy. He''s all right. "...... so? Yeah. . someone you can trust. I''m a full member of your father and his merry band of friends. ...... Okay. Dorothy nodded and returned to my shadow, slashing the shadow again with a satisfied look. "Ho-ho ...... It was Angela who patted it on the chest, while Amelia and a few maids came in silently and cleared the room again. Meanwhile, the table that had been overturned by Dorothy''s return fire, Amelia and a couple of maids came in silently, cleaned up and left the room without saying a word. ''Huh.'' What''s going on? It''s been a while since I''ve been here, and even Bowles'' maid is in trouble. "Oh my God? How did you raise them. . mind, body, mind, body, everything is perfect, isn''t it? Amelia and her friends are great, but I didn''t do anything. The only flaw in Bowers is that he''s too humble. "Me or not . Isn''t humility a virtue? "Kah Miller snickered. That was just a pride issue from a bunch of incompetent but high-ranking people. I guess that''s just the way it is. Dorothy was right to react in a way. Miller is not an enemy by any means, but he''s the most poisonous person I''ve ever known. Hey, Boz, can I borrow some of your maids? "You can be a mirror. Only those who want to go, don''t force it. "Can''t you get an order from Bowles? I''d like to respect everyone''s wishes. That''s not going to work. Hmm? I don''t know. I don''t see why anyone would want to leave Bowles'' side. Miller sighed and looked resigned, like, oh dear. After Miller left, I observed the maids'' work alone. Miller said they were "mind, body, and soul" all in one. There''s no doubt about it. Because so was another element I could see, the soul. Ever since they began to hide in my shadow, the ranks of the maids'' souls have risen day by day. When they had all risen to a certain point, they stopped, and all of them were equivalent to A-rank. If their soul ranks rose, their abilities, skills, and even their appearance would all rise. The maids have become so much more capable than they were a while ago. And I could see why Miller wanted them. I hope this gives everyone a good life. Murmur to me. Suddenly, the ceiling began to glow. The ceiling of the living room, a circle of light appeared next to the chandelier. From the other side of the circle, an angel appeared. "Hi, you''re a guest of honor today ......," he said, "and you look so unhappy. "...... The familiar angel that landed in front of me looked troubled for some reason. What''s the matter with you?What''s up? Was, or could be, "Hmm?Tell me more about it? The angel must have come all the way over here on his own, it must have been a big deal. I pulled myself together and looked at her. "Do you feel the ''pressure'' here increasing? "Pressure?What''s that? It''s about souls. There are too many high-ranking souls in here these days. "Oh. Oh, I see, you mean the maids. Is it wrong to do that? "The world tries to balance "Balance? It''s not good for high-ranking souls to gather too much in one place. If they gather too much, the world will try to balance them out, causing disasters and so on, forcing them to scatter. Really? The aristocracy is the counterpart to the system that man has cultivated through long years of practical experience. When you have an aristocracy, high-ranking souls are naturally scattered throughout the country. I see. I didn''t know there was such a thing. So... "Huh?But is the world out there okay?The angels and gods are all high-ranking souls, but they are all in one place. "The heavens are a special place. On a human scale, it''s like a warding that isolates you, so it''s okay. "I see. I know that high-ranking souls will gather around you. But you are also in danger if you continue like this. Now keep some people away. The angel gave me a serious, worried look. If Miller was here, I''d be like, "Okay, here we go! You''ll be overjoyed. The reason the angel came to warn you is definitely because the maids have recently risen in the ranks of souls. Now what to do. I will. Dorothy emerges from the shadows with only her upper body in the shadows. Thinning. Kiran, and raised his dagger. That''s a solution that works. But it doesn''t. No? "Yeah, no. "...... so With a clear statement, Dorothy looked disappointed as she stepped back into the shadows. "What do we do now? I''m thinking now. I agree with the boy''s suggestion. Now, I''ll make sure that the ''raised'' spirit is reborn in a good place. Thanks, but that''s for another time. "...... The angel looked troubled, sad, and angry. Such a very complicated look. ...... Okay. I got up and left the room. I walked down the hallway and out of the house. What do you want to do? Smiling at the angel who came after me. "Making Wards. "Eeeeeeee!I mean, that''s impossible. No one has ever done it before. Looks like. Answering while touching the philosopher''s sword. Even the wise man''s sword, which has all the knowledge in the world, had no knowledge of it. But..." "I remember, with my body. But I remember, with my body. I remember what it felt like on the other side, and what it felt like to be reborn. You went through a ward when you went through the wards. "Yeah, yeah . Whenever there is a rebirth. "Yes. All I have is that feeling I remember. When a normal human being is reincarnated, the memory of the previous life is completely erased, so no one can remember that feeling. So that knowledge does not exist in the wise man''s sword, which is a product of the earth. But I do remember. I compare that feeling to all the experiences I''ve had since my rebirth. And so I kept walking, until I came to the edge of the compound, the wall that surrounds the house. There, I pull out a stick. He stabbed it in and then left it, and stuck the same stick in the opposite end of the grounds across the house. What was it? It''s a baboon. After I made the Philosopher''s Sword, I thought there might be something else I could use it for, so I''ve been working on it diligently. "The baboonshells: ...... Take the angel with the face pinched by the fox and then stabbed the pole of the baboons in three additional places. Then, in the middle of the mansion, come back to the garden. Are you finished with the stick? "Yeah, I think I''ve had enough. Do you remember where you ever stabbed me? "Let''s see. ...... The angel went around in a circle, pointing at the five points where he had stabbed the hollyhock, in order, as if to confirm his pointing. Yes, if you connect those points with the tops and lines... Thrusting the sword of the wise man into the ground, he released his magic power. A moment later, five lines flashed on the ground. The five lines connecting the vertices created a single pentagon around this garden. The pentagon ...... outside is a pentagram! "Your answer A pentagram relying on the baboons. Something I''ve never done before, my own original in a way. It''s almost the first "challenge" since I got the Philosopher''s Sword - or rather its predecessor, the Philosopher''s Stone. Unleash your magic, amplifying it several times over with the wise man''s sword of baboonkane. As he does so, he rearranges the magic formula--activate it! A pillar of light emanating from the pentagram pierces the heavens. At the dazzling light, the men of the house rush out in unison to see what is going on. The light rises into the heavens, then converges and subsides. Phew. ...... "Hey, this is I don''t know. "Incredible ...... is in the same air as the heavens. ...... I see, it looks like you''ve succeeded. Feeling weakness all over my body, I held the sword of the wise man in my hand. I was filled with a sense of satisfaction. 108 14. A good man, have the emperor do a rehearsal A few days later, Eliza came to hang out. You can find that Eliza, who is a burglar, is dressed up more than usual. Even our familiar living room seems to have been transformed into an even more elegant space just by the presence of Eliza. "Eliza is a burglar, right? Yes, you do? "Is it okay to dress so conspicuously? It''s okay. As long as the emperor doesn''t see you, you can serve as a disguise. "I see. So that''s it. Eliza now looks nothing like the emperor, just like she said she would. She just looks like some beautiful girl. It''s a known fact that the emperor is a woman. Not everyone sees someone so beautiful and thinks, "Hey, it''s the emperor. "What the hell are you talking about? Hmm? For some reason, Eliza reacts so violently that I tilt my head back. "What''s stupid? "Hey, you said it yourself. Ki, ki, ki ...... "Beautiful people? "------! Eliza is even more surprised and slumps back in grandiosity. Did I say something so strange? I think a hundred people would say that Eliza is beautiful in a hundred people''s eyes right now ....... "Well, okay. Well, that''s okay, I''m just doing my job of disguise. Yeah, I guess so. For some reason, Eliza''s face turns bright red. You don''t seem to want me to dig into this somehow, so this is the end of the topic. Just as I was about to talk about something else, there was a knock at just the right moment and a maid, Amelia, walked in. Drinks for you, sir. "Thank you guys Amelia smiles and pushes a trolley into the room with her two maids in tow. She places a cup of clear amber tea on the table between me and Eliza, who are sitting across from each other. Combined with the white porcelain tea set, it looks very ''beautiful'' for a drink. Excuse me. Amelia and the other maids bowed curtly and pushed the cart out. "Come on in--Eliza? Are those the maids in the house? When I was about to offer her a cup of tea, Eliza looked at the door, toward the maids who had just left. ''Yes. Amelia has been around for a long time, so I''m sure Eliza has seen her a few times. "...... I don''t remember that. You''re a maid. The emperor wouldn''t be able to remember every maid from another family. I don''t think I''ll ever forget it. Why? "The one where the fullness of humanity shines through. What''s going on? "What ...... hmmm, yeah. The changes in Amelia and her maids, if you ask me, there is only one answer. Dorothy. "What? "Wow. When Dorothy was called, her upper body emerged from my shadow, an action that startled Eliza. "I''m sorry, I''ll just explain. It''s okay. "Yes. Even though I told her I only called her up to explain, Dorothy retreated into the shadows with a happy face. She insists on returning the favor, and tends to be happy to do whatever I ask of her. ''What a surprise. I''m sorry, but I thought it would be faster if you saw it in person. Did you start something new again? Eliza was startled for a moment, but soon regained her usual composure. The word "again" seems to have contributed to her calmness. I took out a dagger that was the spare key, so to speak, different from the one I gave to Dorothy. Yes. This dagger will cut my shadow and allow me to get inside. As long as I''m under, I can use my opponent''s powers. "Huh?Can I get in? Of course . Try it. I handed the dagger to Elisa. Without any hesitation at all, Elisa slashed my shadow on the table and groped first, then put in her hand. "Wow, that''s interesting, After realizing that the hand was coming in, Eliza dove in with her whole body. Eliza entered me. We waited, about ten minutes. Eliza slowly came out of my shadow. He sat back down with a thud at his original position on the couch. His face is puffy and dazed. She has the same reaction as the maids. "Eliza. "...... "Are you okay Eliza? "Yeah, yeah. Calling hard, Eliza came to her senses. "How did it go? You think this is what all the maids are doing? A question was returned with a question. "Yeah, all the young kids, "How envious ...... Gohon I was about to say something and then coughed up a cough. I don''t know what''s wrong with me. Well, it doesn''t matter. I can talk to Eliza without hiding it, but it seems that when she''s in my shadow, her soul gradually ranks higher and higher, up to about an A. "Huh. The story cut to the chase, and Eliza''s face returned to full expression. Hearing the new knowledge, the intelligent Eliza looked almost emperor-like. "I think that''s what Eliza was talking about when she said ''fullness is glowing at the bottom''. ...... That''s not all you need to know. "Huh? Eliza murmurs again in an inaudible level of whispering. "I''m motivated to be a maid thanks to you. How can you say that ...... all of us have been pseudo-feminized? "Huh, I see. Apparently, Eliza is not very articulate today. Too much dialogue is inaudible. "...... Alec "What? "I''m going to sleep over today. In the shadows. "My? Okay, of course. "Yeah, it''s fine, but--oh Without waiting for a full reply, Eliza slipped into my shadow again. Hmmm, I wonder what''s going on. 109 15. Accepting the Emperors Made By the way, my brother-in-law, you''re being a man again. A few days later, in the early afternoon, Hossen, who came to visit, suddenly remembered in the midst of small talk, and said, "I don''t know. . Thinking it was part of the usual "Father and his merry band", I let it slide, but unlike usual, Hossen stared at me with a straight face and a hand on his chin. He stared squarely at me, as if he were appraising an antique. What''s the matter with you? "My brother-in-law, ...... Hmm? "You know the woman? "...... umm What are you going to say? "That''s not true. Not at all. "That''s funny, you have a nice guy face. What does he look like? I was sticky with my face. "A man drinks, cuddles, kills. It''s this process that makes a man a good man. "I''m so proud of you. It''s that important. "Hey! Horsen nodded with a proud face. This is the logic of Horsen, the greatest warrior of the empire, known for his bravado in everything he does. He drinks, holds women, and kills his enemies. Yes, that''s very Horsen. "Unfortunately, I''m not. "Hmmm, that''s weird. My brother-in-law is substandard, but he''s still supposed to be a man. Hossen twisted his head incessantly. Well, that''s what happens. I had a cup of tea made by the maids. Hosen is a drinker, by the way. I think it''s an amazing skill to drink the same kind of liquor as water and not get drunk at all. I''d get drunk if it didn''t drain through my veins like a squirt gun right after I drank it. Huh? "What''s up with my brother-in-law? "Someone outside the room can come in at ...... "Excuse me ...... With my permission, one of the maids came in. It''s one of the young maids I''ve seen recently. What''s the matter?You''ve been standing outside the room the whole time. Master Hosen was there. "Me? "What''s wrong with Hosen? "No! The young maid waved her hand in panic. ''''It''s not that. It''s because we have a guest. The ...... that ...... "Don''t worry about it. I''m the one who gives you permission. "--Ha!Thank you. You know, I''m done for the day, You only worked in the morning, didn''t you? "Yes. The maid nodded clearly. Unlike gardeners, maids whose job is to serve their employers sometimes work through the night. That''s why there are maids who are on call for the night shift, and they leave early in the daytime. So the ...... "Oh, yeah. I took out my dagger and gave it to her. Thank you! The maid thanked me and bowed profusely to Hossen, then stepped into my shadow with her dagger. Lately, young maids in particular have taken up residence in my shadow. That''s not a problem, but I thought I should do something about their comings and goings with these visitors. At any rate, the maids have slipped into my shadow, so this matter is settled for now. I''ll think of something later so that they can come and go without hesitation, even if it''s a pattern like today. With that in mind, I turned to Hossen again. "I''m sorry--Why are you staring at me again, Hossen? Now, do you usually do that? "Huh?Yeah, I do. Okay, so that''s why your brother-in-law is becoming a better man. What does that mean? "Don''t you realize!No, my brother-in-law is fine with it, he doesn''t even realize it, so I''m sure it''s a great effect. ?"? Unlike Elisa, you can hear the words clearly, but you can''t understand anything he''s saying. Sometimes I don''t understand Hossen''s grandiose theory or Han''s theory. What I don''t understand is a little bit of what I''m wondering. "Ha-ha, I guess I''ll just have to learn from my brother-in-law. Hossen was the same Hossen as usual, so I thought, well, okay. . That evening, a man calling himself the Baron Daishou came to visit me. He was a new guest. I let him into the parlor and we met alone. "A pleasure to meet you, sir, Alexander Carlyle. My name is Segeren Daishou, and I am pleased to meet you, Father. It is an honor to meet you, Father. Daishou said, and bowed to the extent of getting down on one knee. When it was only the vice emperor, it wasn''t as much as it could be, but now that he had the title of Father of the Nation, this kind of bow is also used by the nobility. "Stop being so formal, sit down. "Grateful happiness Daishou stood up and bowed again, and finally sat down on the sofa. Amelia and the other maids came in and handed out the tea. ...... I''m sure you''ll find that you''ll be able to find a lot more information on this. It is not a nobleman''s behavior to come to someone else''s house and stare at their maids for the first time ......, but the look in Daishou''s eyes was anything but ordinary. I''m not sure why you are looking at the maids with envy. You will be able to get a good idea of what to expect.What can I do for you? Ha--. I''m sorry about this. Daishou bowed his head once, as if he was about to fall to his knees, and then said, "Never mind. Never mind. I just want to take care of some business. "Yes!To tell you the truth, there is something I would really like to ask of Father, and that is why I am here. What is it? Naturally, I felt my face tighten. I knew that something had happened again and that he had come to me for help. "Please let my daughter be your maid of honor! ...... yes? What now? My daughter as a maid? Well, your daughter is the baron''s daughter? "Yes! "Daughter-in-law? "No!I''m ashamed to admit it, but she is my own daughter. "Hmmm. I''m a little confused, I don''t know what that means. You mean the baroness. The baroness herself said, "I want a maid! I''m not sure what happened. I don''t know what''s going on. "What if everyone else is already at ......? Daishou looked at me like he was afraid of me. What do you mean by "...... everyone else? "-- ha! I''m sorry, I''ve said too much," says Daishou. I''m sorry, it was nothing. Please forget about that one. "Baron, tell me the truth. I stared straight at Daishou as I pressed closer. Daishou groaned and his upper body slumped under the pressure. He was puzzled, but eventually gave up. "A nobleman like me," he said, "always keeps someone at the palace to get information close to you. "Yes. I know that, it''s common sense. Some want more promotion, some want to jeopardize their position. Those who kowtow to the top will try to get all kinds of information about the subject by hook or by crook. Daishou is one of them. He''s probably sending this stuff to his servants in the palace. Incidentally, the powers that be don''t often mind. It''s often convenient. For example, if you murmur that you want some specialty, someone who wants to grind the sesame seeds will take the liberty of sending it to you. Some emperors took advantage of this and built up a harem of 3,000 people. Be that as it may. Did Your Majesty say something? "Yes, he is constantly praising your maid of honor these days. "My maid? You''ll be able to learn how to train maids. Becoming a maid for Father''s maid will make you grow up to be a great human and woman. And I''m sure Eliza said something like that. She looked at Amelia and the others and said, "The fullness of humanity is shining through. She said that when we were in the palace? And now that Baron Daishou hears that, he wants his daughter to be my maid. Well, that makes sense. "That''s all right. You''re welcome to it, but-- "Thank you! Daishou didn''t hear the end of my story, but got up from the sofa and took the bow to get down on one knee again. I chuckled and said, "I''ll treat you like a regular maid, okay? I''ll treat you like a regular maid, okay? "Yes!Of course it is! Daishou replied in a way that sounded like a cheap shot. "Ha-ha, there will be a lot more maids, my brother-in-law. Kaka, I''d like to have my granddaughter in my care. The next day, inside the living room . The warrior duo of your father and his merry companions who came to visit listened to the story and laughed happily. After Daishou, a number of noblemen''s emissaries arrived, and a sealed envelope arrived. All of them offered to take their daughter as a maid. I accepted them all. That "take me as your wife! But if you''re a maid, there''s nothing wrong with that. The number of maids for noblewomen is increasing quickly, but people who are born into nobility are often selfish and are born in lower ranks, so I''m not afraid to accept them if I can save them. I''d be willing to accept it if I could save it (scoop it up). Hahaha, that''s good. This will help my brother-in-law to be more of a man. "Well, Bowles became more manly () in a matter of days, which is good. I wonder why the number of maids increases to make them more manly or masculine. I still don''t understand the reasoning behind the samurai duo. I don''t know, but alright. You''re right. Shall I tell His Majesty to become a maid too? Hmm. Bowes would be very discreet, and for the sake of your country, I''ll let you do that. Don''t, Eliza will get serious if you talk like that. "...... "...... The two men suddenly fell silent. They''re both grinning. Why are you silent there, why are you grinning. ...... no way. Congratulations. I have a refill. I heard a terribly familiar voice coming from outside the door. I put my head in my hands and asked the wise man''s sword for all the ways to "keep him quiet". 110 01. Good men, emperor maids become commonplace "Good morning, Mr. Alec. When I awoke in the morning sun, I saw Angier''s sagacious beauty above me. Angel, who apparently woke up earlier, was already dressed and had a few maids behind her. I sat up, lightly rubbing my eyes. Good morning Angel, you look better than yesterday. "--Ha!Oh, thank you. Angier looked shy and happy. On the other hand, the maids she had were all envious of her maids. In the spring when I turned 13 years old, my relationship with Angier changed a bit. At this age, girls grow up a little faster than boys. Not long ago, Angier was no exception. Angel, who now helps me get ready in the morning with her maids, is getting more and more beautiful every day. "Thank you for your constant concern, Master Alec. No, I''m just saying what I think. These days, Angier looks like a different person after just one night. Unlike me, the growth seems to be getting worse every day. "Alec, you''ve always been a great guy, Thank you. Get ready in the morning with the help of the maids, while being complimented by Angier. Knock knock. Who is this? I didn''t and Angier responded to the knock. As Angel has grown up, I decided to leave some things entirely to him. Mostly things in the house. I''ve decided that Angier will be my front room, and by letting her take care of everything in the house, I''m elevating its "stature" or "foil". He silently announces that Angel is the mistress of the house (or mother, for that matter). After Ange hears this, the door is slowly opened. Sister! It was Eliza who came in. Eliza is much more mature than Angel, the burglar emperor, and she has become much more s*xy and creepy at times. When did you get here, sister? A delighted Ange. As a mistress, Angel is slowly becoming more and more "like" her husband, but in front of Eliza, she becomes a cute little sister again. The gap between the two makes me happy. It''s still from a guardian''s perspective. "Just now. I brought you a souvenir to give to you later. "Thank you sister! "And-- Eliza turned to me and smiled wickedly. "See you in a few days, master (). "Yes. This one was met with a bitter smile. I''m getting used to it, but I still get a bit of a wry smile from Eliza, who becomes a maid (). I hope you will get used to it one day. I hope you get used to it some day. "How is Eliza, Amelia? As I was working in my study, Amelia brought me another cup of tea. So I quench my thirst and ask Amelia. Amelia is a little different this spring. She''s become the head maid in the home. This is a gesture from the father. There are two distinct types of maids in the house. Your old maid and my maid who is close in age to me. Making Amelia head maid means she will gradually pass the reigns to me. Your maids have mostly withdrawn from the house and only take care of your mother and father. My maids are in their place. Father would have handed over the governor the day I was born if mother hadn''t stopped him, rather late. Amelia, the head maid, was also Eliza''s boss when she was a maid. As a maid, she has no complaints. "Huh. That''s a bit surprising. "I''m perfect for the job and once I put on a maid''s outfit, I''ll act like a complete maid. "Huh. "Considering the fact that we are dealing with the Emperor, we have been rude to you, and you do not question everything that happens between the maids. You''re very open-minded. "Would you like to see it in person? I''ll do that. Yeah, but I don''t want to get in the way of your work: ...... I touched the wise man''s sword softly. Amelia, who had known me for a long time, waited patiently without saying a word. I traced my finger across my desk and drew a magic circle. The completed magic circle glowed and a plush, palm-sized object came out of it. Cute ...... The body is an eyeball, but that eyeball has arms and legs attached to it. It stumbles along, sometimes with a slight wobble. Excuse me. "It''s good. You''re pretty. Gohondo ...... What does it look like? It''s like this. This time he traced his finger in the air and drew a rectangular frame. It also emitted a faint light and then projected an image. "So that''s how it works. Amelia nods, comparing the image in the air and the dwarf eyeball in turn. At a glance, it''s clear that what you see on the screen in the air is what the eyeball sees. Yeah, go check it out. Go ahead. The centerpiece bowed with a bow. He didn''t have a waist, but he bowed like a little kid bent over with gusto. Then he ran off with a plop. She walked to the edge of the office desk, dangled over the edge, and then jumped onto the desk leg and slyly climbed down to the floor with her short limbs. It''s still cute: ...... The gestures are so flirtatious. The door was opened by Amelia. Then she bows to Amelia one more time. Then I jumped off on my mission. When she comes back, Amelia and I watch the screen for a while. The view goes on and on, and soon they come to the mess hall. There are some maids there, including Eliza. The maids are polishing silver dishes and chatting with each other. Eliza-chan, is this how it looks over here? "Yes, perfect. But don''t touch it with your bare hands at the end, otherwise it will turn black for the masters to use. "I see, I''m sorry. You''re usually doing it right, even giving advice. "You are a very quick learner. Honestly, it would be a shame to make him the emperor. That''s kind of a funny word. I pointed out and laughed with Amelia. You can tell Amelia is joking in these stories. If the fathers said the same thing, I would seriously doubt that my maid is the emperor. "Hey Milia, what happened to that thing you were talking about the other day? "Of course I said no. I''ve already decided I''m going to stay with Mr. Alec and be his maid. It''s a shame, you''re a very rich merchant who proposed to me. And he''s still young. "So, did you get Colette? "No, I''m not going to take it. The maid who pointed out that it was a waste, Colette, shook her head simply in response to her own suggestion. "You can''t be happier than Alec''s maid," she said. "Right The thing is, with I''m glad, even a little embarrassed. "The maids are the real deal. That''s okay. Well, it seems Eliza is doing well, that''s good. "Hey, you''re the new maid. Hmm? Another woman''s voice interrupted. It''s a bit of a sword fight. The eyeballs moved, and the screen pulled back a bit to reveal a scene where Eliza and her friends, who were working, and the woman who came in, both fit. It was also a maid who came in. "And you are? "You don''t know about me?The Duke of Oin''s oldest daughter, Chosen. She was a high-powered woman. When she looked at Amelia, she nodded and said, "I''m from the Oin family the other day. "I''m a duchess from the Duke and Duchess of Oin the other day. Her character is as you can see at ....... Amelia looked a little difficult. That''s a lot to take in. Watching the screen again, I was almost blown away. The best comedy I''ve seen in years is that Chosen, with his dignified duchess, is actually the emperor. If it weren''t for Eliza, it would have turned into a tragedy. "This Mr. Chosen, do you want to see me? "You, join my group. "Group? "Yes. Normally, I wouldn''t even have to deal with a girl like you, except in a place like this. I''ll add that to your list, so be thankful that fate brought you together. "Let''s see, that means ...... "I see you''re trying to create a faction. How often does this happen? "The duke''s daughter sometimes. When they first arrive, they tend to bring their families with them. The Baron''s daughters, on the other hand, are straightforward from the start. I see. I laughed, even on the screen, Eliza''s face was bitter and disgusted. I''m sorry, but I''m not interested. "What? Chosen raised an eyebrow. You should be grateful that fate has brought you together. You are grateful for the chance to be Master Alec''s maid, so stop being the king of the mountain and just think about serving him. "You''re the king of the mountain? Keeeeee!And get pissed off at Chosen. You''ll ruin your beautiful face. What do you want to do? Hmmm, I guess we don''t have to do anything. I said and turned off the screen. "A power struggle like that is just child''s play to Elisa. Compared to the number of conspiracies in the palace, where the emperor lives, hey ....... Even if you don''t do anything, Eliza will take care of it herself. Even if you stipulate yourself as a maid, even if you seal the authority of the emperor. That kind of thing is nothing. That''s fine. That''s more like it. "What? Eliza''s ''Dear Alec'' was so natural. You have to feel that way to get out. "Ah, ...... "It''s really amazing that you let Master Eliza go through with it, I don''t know, maybe it''s not like women are good at acting or something. No, no. It was as if Amelia had read my mind and denied it once and for all. 111 02. Revenge the Good Man to the Unbeatable Enemy The next day, I saw something in the report that came from the estate that bothered me, so I decided to go there and check it out in person. When I went out of the study into the corridor, I noticed a group of maids gathered a short distance away, and they were arguing about something. I walked up to them and said, "What''s going on? "What''s up? "Oh, Mr. Alec! Most of the maids turned around in surprise. If you look closely, you can see Eliza and Chosen among the maids. Most of the maids are surrounding Chosen. The air is not calm. What''s going on here? "Dear Alec. While most of the maids were awkwardly tight-lipped, Eliza was the only one who answered firmly. Even though she defines herself as a maid and not an emperor when she is doing this, inside she is the determined emperor who rules a country. Yes, what''s the matter with you? "The seal bag is missing. "Sealed? "The seal of the Locust is "--Ha! I could see my face getting tougher. Locust. One I was once asked to kill but could not. Perhaps the only one in my life that I hadn''t been able to defeat. When his attacks were completely unsuccessful, my magic trapped him in an almost infinite capacity bag. Then I made a new bag and kept it in the mansion as a "seal". I had completely forgotten it existed until now. Do you think it''s gone? That''s right. Eliza nodded and looked at Chosen. The maids also looked at Chosen at once. It seems that Chosen has done it (). Father of the Nation: ...... You don''t have to get so cozy in the house. So, what''s this all about? "Oh, it''s that woman''s fault! Chosen, who for a moment seemed put off, quickly recovered and yelled out, pointing at Eliza. "It''s that woman''s fault for not telling you that such a dirty bag was so important. On the other hand, the upset Eliza was unconcerned. "Even if I don''t tell you, a maid doesn''t have the authority to dispose of your master''s belongings without permission. The maids around her agreed with Eliza''s rebuttal. Seeing that, Chosen became more and more stubborn (). It was dirty. It shouldn''t even be in the father''s house! Hey you! "Are you trying to tell me it''s not your fault by that logic? The other maids couldn''t bear to look at him and started to denounce Chosen. Yes, I see your point. I stopped it before it got out of hand. My words calmed them down and they all looked at me. Instead of blame, solve it first. Especially if you''re Locust. Eliza--not Amelia. She approached Eliza, but stopped immediately and called the "head maid" a short distance away, "Yes, Mr. Alec. "Yes, Miss Alec, I''ll let Amelia deal with her punishment. Reasonable. When I say "deserved" . The Lord''s property has been disposed of without permission. I''m going to make a monetary contribution, and I''m not going to eat for three days. Is that okay?Amelia asks with her eyes. I told you I''d leave you to it. Very well. Now, Chosen Oin. It is as I said. "What?I''m a skipped meal? You too. Amelia stared at Chosen intently, which only made her feel better. ''If you''re of noble birth, you''ll know what it means to be the Lord''s plenipotentiary. Amelia is right. In this case, the words "leave it all up to me" mean that what Amelia said has the same power in this case as what I said--giving. The duchess would know what that means, Amelia said. ''I don''t know what that means!Anyway, it''s her fault for not saying anything! Chosen''s reaction was unexpected. And it''s not like he''s being stubborn or anything, he really thinks so. Haha. ...... Amelia sighed, but didn''t look at me. Now that I''ve been delegated full authority, Amelia is in charge here. As head maid, she will decide how the maids are treated. Amelia knew exactly what I meant. So I returned the kibisu and walked away. There''s nothing more for me to do here, it''s all up to Amelia--maid to maid. I''ve decided to follow the Locust. The location was easy to find. I cast a chase spell and followed it to a garbage incinerator on the outskirts of town, owned by the Carlyle family. Garbage disposal is one of the improvements to the territory I''ve taken care of. Originally, garbage disposal was a job for low-lifes. Considering reincarnation, it used to be that working with the trash was a punishment for low-ranking souls, but I took it over at the Carlisle house and hired a high-ranking mage. A lower-ranked person would have to set it on fire and burn it naturally, but that would greatly pollute the air. If a high-ranking mage burns it with a powerful flame, he can dispose of the cinders without emitting any smoke. The smoke is bad for human health and crops, so they have been doing this for several years now. They came to the Carlisle family''s landfill. The piles of trash are piled high and emit miasma. And people are lying around it. You okay? He runs over and pulls one of them up. The young man was unconscious and only occasionally moaned, "Ugh ......". The miasma hit him, but he''s okay for now. I moved the man away with my magic. I set up a ward around the trash heap and stepped inside it. Boko ...... Boko ....... The trash heap was like a swamp in places, with bubbles popping out of the mud. When the air bubbles appear, the trash pile collapses and dents. The miasma dissolves the garbage. I have a pretty good idea why. Trash deserves to be handled roughly while it''s being brought in. When it comes to bags, it''s hard not to tear them in the middle. The bag that sealed the Locust was probably torn by something. The miasma is spewing out from there and melting the trash on top. It''s a reproduction from years ago. It melts everything that passes by, spreading harm just by existing. The Locust, a monster of the disaster class. I drew the wise man''s sword from my back and held it at a ready position. Boko...... Boko....... The boiling holes gradually became more and more, and then bobbed!The remaining trash is sucked in from the cavity like an ant hell. Goooooooooooooong! From there the Locust emerged. As if crawling out of the depths of hell, first his upper body came out. I''m stopping here! The amount of miasma increases in proportion to the emergence of the Locust body. The miasma is only halfway out and we have no choice but to strike at this time. I''m going to be able to use the divine magic power of the divine to amplify it through the blade of the baboon kane. ''''Haaaaah! Leaping and slashing headlong. Gosh!It felt and sounded like I was cutting something really hard. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about the miasma. The miasma (supposed to be a miasma) is a miasma that flies at you. The miasma is a miasma that pushes the miasma up into the air. The moxie of the moxie is the only thing that matters. (No) The will of the wise man''s sword came through. The will of denial. I wondered what that meant...I found a crack where I had just cut him. It''s a wound that couldn''t have been inflicted a few years ago. Great, it worked. There is a huge difference between "not at all" and "not very effective". To say it doesn''t work very well is to say it works at least a little. It''s the difference between "nothing" and "something". It''s given me confidence. Confidence that I can beat it. The thunderbolt of judgment. Tweeting, I raise my wise man''s sword in the air. The sky staggers in response to my divine power, and a bolt of lightning roars and falls. I catch it with my sword, stopping it and amplifying it. The wise man''s sword crackled and charged, its blade gleaming brighter than ever. Here! Kicking into the void, I swooped down and rushed toward the Locust. The miasma of interception dodges the miasma. I slammed my lightning sword into the very same crack I''d made earlier. The earth trembled and the sky split open. The sky cracked. * When I returned to the mansion, I found my father and the three main members of his merry band, father Hossen Miller, having a drink together. ''You''re back, Alec! "Are you drinking in the daytime, father? "Mm, a feast. Banquet? You see what I mean?We''re not going to get in the way of my brother-in-law''s fight, I would have liked to watch the game in sand, but Nah, I see. I mean, it''s just the same as always. "Here''s to Alec''s historic victory! "Cheers! Cheers! Totally, no, it''s okay. "Yeah?More importantly, brother-in-law, what is that thing you''re holding on to? "Eggs like ...... The three of us were so excited about the feast that we realized long too late what I was holding in my hand. I''ve just noticed an egg so huge that my thirteen-year-old self is holding it in both hands. Do you want a pet, Alec? "No, no, not really, father. I looked down at the eggs I was holding and gave myself a knowingly annoyed look. It''s a Locust egg. Apparently, it''s an ecosystem that can reincarnate if knocked over. ""...... ooohhhh!" Now, I wonder what to do with this egg. 112 03. Purifying Good Men and Old Enemies I took the Locust egg back to my study, put it on my desk and stared at it. Just when I thought I had knocked it over, an unexpected challenge arose. You can''t break it. What should I do? There''s a knock at the door. Come in. "Excuse me. When I complied, head maid Amelia came in. With Amelia''s arrival, I decided to change my mind. Good night Amelia. How is she? I heard about Chosen. I put Amelia, the head maid, in charge of getting rid of Chosen, who was the source of the Locust problem in the first place. She was supposed to be here to report it, so I gave her a nudge. "I''m being selfish, That''s right. "You said ''Who do you think I am?'' at every turn, so I guess I''m out of touch for the time being. "What can you do? I did () Amelia clearly states. I feel like she''s been growing up fast since I ordered the head maid. Now she even feels dignified. We couldn''t reveal Master Eliza''s identity and, most importantly, we couldn''t risk a backlash. For fear of upsetting the court, I have appointed Elizabeth Golden Age, also a duchess, to execute her. "Mmm-hmm. This one was named, and they knew each other''s names. You may mention their families, but they are both dukes of the same rank. "Put some people on Elizabeth''s trail, just in case. She''ll be the one to get out in the open. Yes, sir. If Mr. Alec so commanded, everyone would raise their hands in competition. Really? I know you don''t say no, but competing with them is a bit surprising. Maids are in absolute obedience to the Lord, no, they take supreme pleasure in having orders, especially when the Lord is Alec. All the more so when the Lord is with Master Alec. I see. Nodding, I see what you''re saying, and I''ve given you additional instructions. That concludes our report on Chosen. When she finished, I noticed Amelia''s face was slightly shaded. What''s up, Amelia? "...... is complicated, "What? "I have a complicated mix of wondering if this is the right thing to do, and wondering if it''s going to work out. What do you mean? "It''s a pity that I can''t manage one of my maids while being appointed head maid by Master Alec, "I see. Don''t worry about it. People like that happen sometimes. "Thank you. At my words, Amelia''s expression brightened a little. ''What do you mean it''s okay to keep going? Amelia looked dignified and somewhat pouting. There is no limit to what a selfish girl can do to me. Master Alec wouldn''t be daunted. Amelia glanced at the Locust eggs on the table and said, "I see," she said. I see, Now I have mixed feelings. That kind of trust makes me tense to respond. Then it''s all yours. If you need me, just let me know right away without being stubborn. "Thank you! Amelia happily bowed and left the study. Alone, she faced the Locust eggs again. Not because Amelia expected me to, but I felt again that I had to do something about it. Ah. A voice leaked out. As if inspired by my enthusiasm, the egg jerked and jiggled on the table. After a shuddering motion, the shell began to crack open. Before long, the egg cracked completely open, and from the inside - and I could see it. "...... puppy? Inside the shell of an eggshell that was only halfway down, there was a puppy-like creature. If you look closely, you can see some vestiges of the Locust. I can only imagine what the Locust would look like if it were a few hundred times bigger. And then there''s the miasma. "--Ha! The moment I mumbled, the puppy - a mini-Locust - shook with fear. Can you understand me? --The Locust shook its head, as if frightened. The Locust shook his head, as if frightened. It''s obvious that you understand my -- or any human''s language. It doesn''t look like that deceitful incarnation of destruction. So I spoke to him softly, too. "Don''t worry, I''m not going to do anything terrible. The Locust was flabbergasted. So it rolled out of its eggshell and spun around on the desk. When he regained his bearings, the Locust said. Oh, thank you. And then timidly said, "Why do you thank me? ''Why do you thank me?'' "I remember. . thank you for stopping me from being there. Oh, so your memories are carried over, too? Use the power of the godlike person. See the soul of the Locust. Indeed, their souls are the same color. When you reincarnate a monster like that, multiple incarnations will gradually cleanse its soul, but the Locust soul remains the same. Not at all (). It doesn''t seem to reincarnate through the heavenly realm. Yes, I remember it all. "Huh? The word "all" in Locust had weight. The responsibilities were piling up, that kind of weight . I''m going to get in trouble with the humans again if I don''t...... hate them. "It''s okay, it''s not. People used to say that to me. The Locust said with a tearful face. I wonder if there were people who reached out to the former Locust when they were younger. I wonder if someone else did the same thing when the last Locust was little. And to say it was in the past tense is to-- "But when I get big, eventually, "...... So thank you ......! With that, the Locust jumped off the desk, threw open the door with his body, and ran out. Wait! I ran out into the hallway, chasing it. On four short legs, the Locust struggles to escape, and ahead of them is a group of maids. They''re the latest arrivals, the Master Maids. Hey, guys!Stop that kid! "Master!"? "So you can stop it? I''ll catch you! When I heard my voice, the maids all looked at me curiously and caught the Locust. She tried to escape, but her short puppy-like limbs and comparable mobility prevented her from escaping, and the Locust was caught. But... Yikes! "Maids'' clothes melted! "Oh, even my underwear! The miasma that the locust''s body is constantly emitting. As the maids are tightening up to catch it, the maids'' uniforms melted here and there and in no time at all they became hapless. The maids'' maids are not going to be able to get out of it. I''m not going to let you go. Yes, master''s orders. "Ha, it''s embarrassing, "Eh, ...... The miasma (miasma) is a miasma that causes the maids to become puzzled. The miasma (miasma) is a miasma that can only be found in the mantle of the maids, and the maids do not want to let go of their clothes and skin. I''ll catch up with them. Thanks, guys! Then he received the Locust from the maids. I''m so happy! So much for the master! "Not even my life is spared! Wondering how it would be, I magically mended their maid outfits and healed any slight burns, while gently looking away. Then I looked at the Locust. Why ...... I wouldn''t throw you away for anything. "Eh, ...... "We too! "I will do whatever my master tells me to do! I''m not sure, but I''ll take care of it! Reassuring cheers came from the maids. The Locust was stunned to hear our words and eventually burst into tears. "You''re so kind-hearted. "No, that''s not it. I have. I interrupted myself to deny it. I thought it was better not to let him say it. "My body is like this, but my mind is so beautiful. That''s the way you care about us. "...... But it''s not a good name. Since you''re born again from an egg, let''s give you a new name. New ...... name? I thought for a moment, and then said. "Lotus. It''s an old word meaning ''lotus flower. "Lo ...... tas? "You know what?Lotus flowers can only grow in muddy water. If the water is clean, they will not grow up straight and will sink into the water forever. "Muddy water ...... But you know, a flower in bloom is so beautiful that it never gets stained by mud. It''s just like your heart. "...... So, you''re in Lotus now. It is meaningful to give it a name. And the name I, the godhead, have given (secretly) with the ritual will be more effective. The next thing I knew, Lotus''s body lit up. The miasma stopped for a moment. 113 04.Good people get permanent machines After thanking the maids and telling them to get back to work, I returned to the study with the Locust modified Lotus. The ...... Hmm? As soon as I entered the room and closed the door, Lotus called out to me at the same time. When I turned around in the room, I saw Lotus, who had come in before me, sitting on the floor like a puppy dog, staring up at me with downcast eyes. What''s the matter with you? Thank you. . for helping me. "Never mind. More importantly, how is your body feeling?Is there anything strange about it? "It''s okay ...... um Hmm? The Lotus seemed determined, but this time she looked up and looked straight at me. "Is there anything I can do to help? What can you do? "I want to return the favor, "...... I see. I don''t need to do that, I guess I won''t be convinced. Especially if you have memories of a previous life Locust. That was a real disaster. She was a force to be reckoned with just by existing. The mind of the Lotus is an inherently kind one that now seeks to "repay" you. I struggled with myself back then. So that''s why I returned the favor. You don''t have to do that, it''ll be the opposite - it will continue to bother you. I thought about it for a minute and said, "Well, I''ll ask you for one thing. "I''ll ask you to do one thing for me. "What is it? Leaning Lotus. "But first, the prep work. Get up on that desk and wait for me. "Yes! Despite not being given any details, Lotus climbed onto the desk with a surprisingly agile and dexterous movement, completely without hesitation. Seeing this, I put my hand on the bag of materials. --Yikes! The Lotus jerked. She shrinks back and gestures like she''s scared. "Don''t worry, it''s definitely the same one that sealed you in the bag. I don''t use it for that purpose. "Yes, yes ...... if it is-- I wouldn''t have given you a name if I was going to, would I? "...... yes The Lotus lowered its eyes. She looks happy, but apologetic. Such a complicated look. I reached into the bag of materials again, made a homunculus inside, and pulled it out. It''s a puppy-shaped homunculus similar in size to the lotus. I put it next to the lotus. Lotus looks at it curiously, but her caution is completely blown away. "What do you want me to do? Stay still. Don''t worry, I''ll have it ready in a minute. "Yes. The Lotus nodded honestly. I''ve used Hershel''s magic. I''m going to strip the soul of the Lotus from its body, place it in the homunculus, and then immediately return it to its original body. "Huh?I''m back, though. It''s all right. It has to be replaced once. I said, and this time took out my dagger. Next. "The sword, is it? Use this to slash my shadow. When you''re done, just go in. I''m not sure. ...... Lotus gave a small nod and took the dagger in her mouth. I jumped off the desk, slashed my shadow, and stepped inside. That''s good. A moment later, Lotus just came out of the room. This ...... is awesome, but what do I have to do ...... I went through the lexical decline characteristic of those who have entered the shadows, and gave an explanation. You just need to stay inside. When I''m inside, if you have any special abilities, I''ll be able to use them. "Is it a special ability? "Dorothy When I called out to her, Dorothy stuck out her upper body from the side of the Lotus. I used the magic eye on Dorothy herself, and then I used the same magic eye on her after she hid in the shadows. The magic eye''s effect, it binds the opponent with gold. Twice I could see from the changes in Lotus'' expression that she felt her bonds. Like this. "Hoa ...... I mean, just being in my shadow is useful. I get it! To Lotus'' great delight, he understood. When I thought he was just in the shadows, he had the eyes of a discarded puppy dog, but after he had actually been under the spell of Dorothy and me, he understood that if he was in the shadows, that was all there was to it. ''''Speaking of which,'''' "Yes? What is your ability?The miasma is a constitutional one, it''s not like it''s an ability or anything. Or rather, I wondered if there would be, I swallowed the word. I might get hurt if there wasn''t. Yes!Try the magic! Lotus crawled into my shadow, leaving a gleeful look on her face and said, "I don''t know, let''s use magic. I''m not sure, but I''ll use my magic. Turn to the desk and hold your hand over the remaining homunculus body. You can use the ...... matter transformation spell for now. The homunculus puppy immediately turns into a golden puppy. The next moment I used my magic, my body glowed faintly. A faint light seemed to emanate from deep within my body, my core. At the same time I experienced it. "My magic power has been ...... restored? Gaze into your palm, feel your depths. There''s no doubt that the magic you just consumed has been restored. How are you doing? The Lotus came out of the shadows. "You''ve recovered your magic, what does that mean? That''s my ability. When I use magic, my magic is automatically restored. "Using magic to restore magic power? Yes, whatever magic you use, it will recover 10%. ...... That''s what it used to be, and I wanted to stop, but I couldn''t. ...... Well, if you use it well, it''s a perpetual motion agency: ...... I stared at my palms again. Using magic restores 10% of your magical power. The Lotus'' (Locust) ability was by far the most powerful one I had ever seen. 114 05.Infinite automatic level up of good people I did a test in the garden. A large rock with a Mt. Morrison motif, which, since it was restored, has remained there in its original role as part of the landscape, but I decided to ask it to accompany me for another test. Hold your hand on the big rock and use the magic of matter transformation. The huge rock, which could be climbed by a man and would take surprisingly great strength to complete, turned to gold. A pale light emitted from my body. My magic is restored. Holding my hand over my head, more matter transformation magic. The golden boulder now turned to silver. More light shot forth, and the magic was restored. Now the silver turned to iron. Then copper, then copper, then the original rock, then gold again. I looped the matter transformation spell. Each time you use it, your magic recovers 10% of its power. Since transmutation magic consumes less than 10%, you can use it endlessly and indefinitely. Magic that consumes less than 10% - which is 99.99% of magic - can be used virtually indefinitely. The endurance loop of matter transformation continued on the fly. I started where I woke up in the morning, and even at midday, when the sun was directly overhead, my magic was still full. This is a pretty strong ability. Even though I was an SSS-ranked person, every ability was only "high" and not "infinite". Infinite is another stage. ...... Could this be...? An inspiration came to my mind. I put the idea into shape and ask the wise man''s sword for a possibility. It''s possible, he replied, but there''s no certainty due to lack of precedent. But theoretically it could work, right? Then, I decided to try. I decided to try. . After putting back the large rock of Morrison, we left and visited Calamity . Calamity sleeping peacefully in a corner of the mansion. The guardian dragon of the empire is the Sky King Calamity. He has lived a quiet life since he came to the mansion. "Calamity. "Lord ...... what do you want me to do? Yes, I would like to have another body part, okay? "Gladly. Calamity answered immediately. There was no hesitation or anything. "What can I do for you? "A piece of scale. "Yes. With a sharp claw, Calamity dexterously peeled off one of her scales and held it out to me. I took it. Dragon scales appear to glow slightly iridescent in the light. And when you hold them like this, you can see that even though they''re just scales, the magic they contain is quite powerful. ...... Calamity remains silent and does not speak, but her eyes are staring at me. Curious eyes. I''m dying to know what you''re going to do. "We''re going to make a little trinket out of it. Yes, calamity. "I wonder what "What do you think makes me a good accessory? "Mostly ...... women? We don''t need that kind of Hosen stuff. I chuckled. Horsen''s heroic theory. I remember being told that a man''s job is to attract the scent of liquor, sweat and women. Calamity''s "woman" was very close to that. I didn''t mean that, I just meant a generic accessory. "Muu ...... Moaning Calamity. The Sky King pondered for a moment and then said. "I''m sorry Lord, it seems to be beyond my knowledge. I see. That''s the way it is. I know how that goes with men. I even asked Calamity about it because I''m not sure about myself. Accessories that suit you. Earrings are different, and chokers are different. Necklaces are usually invisible () and you want to wear a ring with Angers first. I have no idea about accessories, and when I rejected this and that, I found nothing. By the way, the philosopher''s sword is useless in this case. You may have all kinds of knowledge, but the wise man''s sword is not very good at judging what looks best on you. The Lord shines brightest when he is wielding his sword. Calamity, perhaps noticing my glimpse of the wise man''s sword, said to me, "Really? Is that so? "Without a doubt, This was Calamity, who also gave an immediate affirmation. "I see. ...... The wise man''s sword. ...... I thought for a minute. Sure, I have the Philosopher''s sword with me all the time (). I stuck with the accessories, but you can do the same with the philosopher''s sword. Thank you Calamity. "Fearfulness "I''ll take the wise man''s sword then. I guess it''s more like a top? As he says this, he draws his wise man''s sword and releases it. Gently touching the blade, he gently touches the calamity scales he just received. Pack with magic. Little by little, the scales melt away and fuse with the sword. After the scales completely coat the blade, you trace your finger across the blade, drawing a magic circle. The magic is activated and--. "Glowing ...... no, changing? "Yes. I nodded. The Sage''s sword had been emitting a distinctive shine peculiar to baboons, but that changed after it was coated with Calamity''s scales. It flashed with light at one-second intervals, and its hue gradually changed like a rainbow. "Phew! With a light swing of the sword, the blade was pulling an afterglow. ''It worked. "Nice work It''s all well and good to look at, but what should Calamity feel like? "...... magical power, is it? Shit. I smile at him. "The effect of this look is that it ''automatically drains and sustains the holder''s magic'' "Automatically. "Every second drains ten percent "So if you have ten seconds, you''ll collapse. Yes, but now that I''m getting the power to restore magic through magic use. Every time I use it, it restores 10%. "Zero subtraction, so you can have it forever. That''s the Lord. And - that''s the Lord. Calamity who said the same words twice. You''re right, Calamity, you''re quick to notice. Magic and muscle power are actually pretty much the same thing. The more you use them, the more they''re trained and improved. Magic power recovery and automatic consumption. By combining these two, it''s as if I''m constantly training my magic instead of my muscles. 115 06. Good man, coolness swings the meter I left your father''s office and returned to the study. I had some matters to discuss with father about the estate. He still gives me a lot of credit, but he''s a decent man when it comes to governing his domain. With those instructions, I will return to my study to give orders. On the way. I was just walking down the hallway when I suddenly felt eyes on me. "...... "...... "...... Maids who passed each other, maids who lurked in the shadows. All the maids I encountered were staring at me with silent, enraptured eyes. "What''s the matter with you? That''s it master. I was surprised to be approached from behind. You startled me. That''s Eliza. There was Eliza in her maid outfit. Unlike the other maids, Eliza spoke to me as usual. But she was in her maid outfit "as usual". What does that mean, you know? That''s because they''re all looking at you, Master. "To me? Yeah. Here it is. Eliza reached out with her hand and pointed at the wise man''s sword that I carried on my back. The wise man''s sword that I carry on my back whenever I''m out and about, the one that is now my partner. This? "It''s glowing. When the master walks, it pulls the light and leaves an afterimage as it goes. "Hmmm, come to think of it, As a side effect of the automatic spell training (...), the wise man''s sword looked just like the one Elisa talked about. The master is so good looking that all the maids were looking at him because he''s even better looking. "Huh. Look around. That being said, that''s certainly a response. Hiding in the shadows and around corners, or glancing at me while pretending to wipe the windows. The maids have that "gawking" look on their faces, like Eliza said. I didn''t feel bad. Yes, master, yes. "What is this? Eliza held out a sealed envelope to me. I take it and look on the back. It is sealed with the seal of the Emperor, Elisabeth for Sea size. "It''s for your master, Your Majesty. "Isn''t that you? "What''s that?I''m just a maid. Eliza with a blank stare. She seems to want to say she''s not the emperor. Well, it doesn''t matter. I opened the emperor''s envelope in front of Eliza. "Open for falconry? "Yes. Eliza nodded with a big smile. No, let''s stick with the setting to the end, I said with a wry smile. . Falconry is a nobleman''s game and a social occasion. As the name suggests, it was once a game of domesticating a hunting hawk and competing with its hunting ability in the open air. The hunting ability of a falcon seems to have been regarded as a nobleman''s ability to motivate his subordinates. Times have changed, and due to the nature of the current empire''s origins (), the name of falconry is still the same, but the content has changed significantly. The nobles demonstrate their abilities by releasing a pre-designed monster and hunting it themselves. The content has been changed to be more direct, dangerous, and demonstrative of ability. On the outskirts of the imperial capital, in the usually empty, wide open grasslands, a large number of people had gathered. Aristocrats and their men and servants from all over the Empire had gathered there. In addition, the emperor and his personal guard, the staff that ran the falconry. In all, more than a thousand people had gathered on the steppe. On a man-made platform with a clear view, the emperor Elisabeth was there. Despite the fact that it had been only a week since the announcement of the falconry, and despite the fact that it had been called almost spontaneously, none of the nobles seemed to be angry or anything. Rather, they are all excited. And rightly so. Falconry is one of the few occasions when you can show your class in front of the emperor. A brilliant swordsman once rose from a quasi-baron to a duke overnight. The assembled nobles are all excited and enthusiastic. "Alec has never hunted a hawk before, has he? The Carlisle family space. Surrounded by maids and servants, my father asked me. ''Yes, sir. It would have been the first time you were falconing now, Your Majesty. Hmmm. It was held about once a month under His Majesty before, but this is the first time since His Majesty took over. We''re going to see the best of your father. "No, no, I''m not joining in. I came to see the good side of Alec today. So says your father, who is being served by the maids and is in a completely relaxed mode. While other aristocrats around you are busy warming up and concentrating, it''s rare to see your father in a relaxed mode. Aren''t you going to get it? Of course. . because there''s nothing more important than seeing Alec in action! Father clenching his fist and making a strong statement. Or is it like that, or is it the same as usual? Meanwhile, the falconry began in earnest. Several noblemen were advancing at once in a wide circle of participants - in the middle of the square. Then they release the monsters prepared by the imperial guards. The nobles compete to see how many of these monsters are killed by the nobles. "Everyone is very motivated! That''s true. Your father replied leisurely, but in a matter-of-fact tone. "It''s the young people who are showing the most enthusiasm, right? "Come to think of it, Since you''re young, that''s what they''re trying to do. "I see. Emperor Elisabeth, the Empire''s most powerful and beautiful woman of strange age. Perhaps the highest level of adversity in the world at the moment. I know these young nobles are motivated. Hey, here come the brothers. It''s true. The previous pair withdrew and the next pair of nobles entered the scene. Hossen and a couple of other noblemen I didn''t know well entered the room. "Hossen was in on it too. ...... is not too keen on it. They''re yawning and stuff. That''s right, brothers are not fools to mess with other people''s stuff... "People things? I was about to ask my father what he meant when Hossen''s group started. The monsters released by the imperial guards were attacking the nobles at once. While the nobles charged at them, Horsen was the only one who didn''t move. He stood on a stick, yawning. Before long, the monsters are wiped out at a faster-than-usual pace. ...... As I was watching the whole thing, I stood up and clapped. The nobles around me looked at me. They don''t seem to understand why they applauded only here. I don''t have to explain, I just have to know. I wish I understood. "That''s good, Lord Choohi. On the stand, the Emperor Elisabeth, who had also been watching quietly all this time, quietly opened her mouth. A hint of turmoil ran through the air. While all the noblemen had been appealing to her, the emperor had been watching quietly, smiling, and now he opened his mouth. Moreover, he complimented Hossen Choohee, who hadn''t done anything. What does this mean?Eliza continues, as the air is filled around you. "All of the monsters had practically fallen under his pressure. You are the strongest warrior in our empire to win without fighting. "Don''t give it away, you''ll ruin your coolness. As Hossen replied, a gasp spread like a ripple in the water. ''Well, the fastest thing that ever happened to me was General Choohi glaring at me. "And he saw right through it, Your Majesty. Wait, does that mean the Father of the Nation applauded? A murmur ran through me and my gaze was drawn to me. Surprise and respect. I''m surprised and respectful. This makes me a little embarrassed. Let Lord Chohi have some kind of reward. "In that case, Your Majesty, do me a favor. "Say, "Next time my brother-in-law - Alexander Carlyle, make it a one-man show. The throbbing becomes even stronger. Holding it down, Eliza''s commanding voice. "Is that right? It''s time for everyone to know that the strongest of the Empire has been replaced. Very well. Sir Alexander. "...... yes As I reply, they look at me even more than before. "Lord Choohi, and live up to my expectations. "Yes. It wasn''t a situation I could refuse. I was in the middle of the field where Hossen and his friends had left off. ""Wow. ......" Then a different quality of sighs came from here and there. It''s women''s voices. I glanced to see what was going on, and I saw the noblewomen and ladies and the maids that I had brought with me. They were staring at me, enraptured, with eyes that looked familiar. They have the same eyes as the maids in the house. They seem to be transfixed by the afterglow of the wise men''s swords and my image. I will stand in the center of the field. More than a thousand eyes will be on me. Then I look at the Emperor''s guards. The Emperor''s guards are releasing monsters. Among them is a familiar face. Is that ...... Chosen? For some reason, Chosen is in the guards. I''m a maid who is a duchess and is now a maid-in-training in the house. And the one who did the Locust thing before (). Chosen had given a bag of gold and a box of something to the guards. The gold bag was probably a bribe. Then the box is ....... I soon found out. The guards received the box and opened it. The moment he got the box, the guards opened it. "Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Out of the box, a huge dragon emerged. A monster hundreds of times stronger than any monster I''ve ever seen. It appeared and howled with a mere roar. The women who had been watching me enthralled flapped and fainted. 116 07. Good people, preventing pandemic The place of falconry instantly panicked. Apparently too strong a monster. Because of the nature of falconry, it is normal to prepare "a large number of decent monsters" for the competition of several people. No one had expected such a powerful monster, and the confusion was compounded by the fact that some of the women fell over with a roar. I could have killed them, but I went to Chosen first. "Chosen! "Mr. Carlisle!Please beat it quickly. Chosen greeted me with an innocent smile, as if he had done nothing wrong. "What was that? How did you get that thing out? "It''s for Mr. Carlisle!Ordinary small fry monsters don''t stand out from Master Carlisle''s strength. Master Carlisle needs at least this soul-eater. "...... just to show off me? Of course! It''s a good thing that you''ve got a good idea of what you''re talking about. Seriously, ...... and words that you would not normally use were about to spill out. For such a thing, just for that one thing. You put everyone here in danger for that one thing. This person is ...... no. Now is not the time to think about that. We have to stop that dragon first. Turn around and face the dragon. A number of young noblemen crowded around the powerful monster. And all of them fell and moaned. Only Hosen is standing. This fellow is tricky. "Hosen! "Oh, brother-in-law. You want it? "Yes. "Leave it to me. Hossen, who had been facing the dragon with two swords, returned his weapon to its scabbard with what I had just done. My muscles relaxed and I was in full spectator mode. I can feel the same "trust" as Chosen, but unlike Chosen, I don''t feel like an annoyance - oops. I don''t have time to think about that, this guy first. I kicked the ground and jumped up into the air. Let''s go. (Pause!) I flickered in seven colors, and drew the sword of the wise men and released it. "Come on!The Thunder of Judgment Instantly the sky blackened and a bolt of lightning more than twice my size struck. I caught it with my wise man''s sword, brandished my electrified sword, and rushed toward the dragon. Boom! An earth-shaking blow, a lightning-dusted slash that snapped both sides of the dragon''s brain. Almost as soon as I landed, the dragon fell with a thud and stopped moving. ............. ""Ohhhh!" Cheers erupted from everyone present. ''Good job, Lord Carlisle. After the appearance of the dragon, Eliza, guarded firmly by the guards, stood up, cracked the guards, and chided me. The compliments the emperor had given me made the cheers grow stronger. I glanced at Chosen with a mixture of smug and enraptured expression on her face. It''s not a good idea to follow her plan, but what needs to be defeated has to be defeated, so-- ""Kyah!" Suddenly, from a distance, there was a yellow scream. All present turned their eyes to the source of the scream. There was a woman. Judging by her attire, she was a countess. The countess, probably knocked out by the earlier roar, lay on the ground, cramping to a level of bouncing and jerking, her body gathering an indescribable aura of power. Immediately afterwards, a transformation occurs. The countess was "transformed. She transformed, swelling outward from inside her body. In a flash, the countess became a dragon. Exactly the same dragon as before. There are more screams, and all the nobles and servants around them are running for cover. Cheryl!Are you okay, Cheryl! There was one man among them who did not run away. By the way he was dressed, he was the Count - surely her husband. He desperately called out to his wife, who had transformed into a dragon, but the dragon didn''t care about her husband and swung his huge paw down. "--! Quickly rushes in, catching the heavy blow with the wise man''s sword. Mischief!I thought I heard a noise, and my feet dug into the ground for my shoes. Hey, Father! "Run! "But ...... "Hurry!I''ll bring it back in one way or another! "Please!She and the child in her ...... tummy! "-- Yeah, yeah! Nodding, the Count finally grimaced and moved away from the scene. The dragon''s chase came flying in. It opened its wide mouth and spat out scorching fire. Raise your wise men''s sword and blow away the flames. I held up my sword to silence him for the moment, and the next moment. The next moment. "There it is, too! "Hey, we''re changing too! Screams and impatient voices could be heard from all over the place. I looked to see that the fallen women were still trying to change into dragons one after another. Was that howl like some kind of infection? "Chosen!...... clicky. I asked her what kind of monster she was, and I saw that she was slumped over by Chosen, the one who had done it. The unexpected event, the entrance to the scene, made her slump down, let go, and tremble. I''m in no condition to ask ...... what I should do. (--) The information from the philosopher''s sword flowed into my head. Earlier, the sword had picked up the monster''s name in a brief conversation with Chosen. Soul Eater. It is a kind of demon dragon that has extremely high fighting ability, and of course, it is a monster that eats souls and multiplies them to increase the number of individuals. The souls it eats are babies. It''s a baby in its mother''s belly. The soul-eaters use the pregnant mother''s body, which heard their howl, to increase in number. If you look, you''ll see that some are passed out and others are about to change, all women and some look like heavyset. Not only the "Mrs." but also the maid has fallen and is in the process of transforming. ...... I decided not to think about it for now. Solution first. Soul Eater. Change in the soul of the mother and the baby. So there''s one way to solve it. It works, right? (Pause!) With the approval of the sword of the wise man, I sprang into action. I take out the bag of materials and put my hand inside. I make homunculus after homunculus and pull them out of the bag. It''s glowing. ...... "I''m shining. ...... With screams and exclamations, create a homunculus for the number of people who have fallen. And the magic-- "--! A moment later, I had a terrible headache. I hadn''t used too much magic or been attacked. My advice. Those two words popped into my head. "It won''t happen. Glancing up at the sky--in the direction of the heavens, I say with a clear tone of voice: "It won''t be like the silver disaster! "This is not going to be like the silver disaster! So stated. I used Herschel''s secret formula to pluck the souls of all the fallen women and children from their bodies. I drew the souls and placed them in the homunculus for now. With the children''s souls gone from their mothers, the soul-eaters could not meet the requirements to change, and the dragons disappeared completely from the scene. 117 08. The Good Man Release His Soul With the sky blackened by the thunder of judgment, I went up on the dais and bowed in manners. "No need to be formal, my Alexander. There is no need for that kind of protocol between me and the Lord. Isn''t it? The Emperor Elisabeth sitting on the assorted throne - Elisa said. The ministers and guardsmen around her looked at her with envy. It was an honor to be called that by the emperor. "You did well slaying those demon dragons. "Yes. You will have to be rewarded again. "His Majesty''s earlier words are enough. I see. Eliza nodded with satisfaction, as did the emperor. The ministers around them have the same expression. The emperor''s words of "just the right amount of humility" are also necessary for emperors and noblemen in official settings. Hmm, my first time seeing him up close and personal, he''s even wiser than people say. "It''s not easy to behave at your age and strength without treating yourself to a treat. "Truly an empire, no, His Majesty''s treasure They are complimenting me. More than half of it is also a gimmick for Eliza, so I let it slide. Guile. "Ha! A pompous middle-aged man in the guards'' armor stepped forward in front of Eliza. "I leave it to you to find out why. Sir Alexander, you''ll put an end to this beautiful period. "Gyoi! "Ah. As I yelled out, all eyes turned to me. "What''s the matter, Sir Alexander, are you worried about Guile? "No, I don''t. Actually, I already know who did it. "How? "Its ...... I wondered for a moment if this was the right place to say it. Chosen Oin, daughter of the Duke of Oin. If I told you, the worst thing that could happen to the Duke''s family would be to demolish it. That''s too heavy. At a time like this: ....... I have extended my shadow (). I developed this technique when the maids began to spend the night in my shadow together and my maids and your father''s maids were separated. All eyes were on my face, none of them noticing that the shadows were growing. The sky was dark and the shadows were pale, which was a plus. The shadow stretched straight to Eliza and connected with her. ...... Eliza freaked out. Then I was sure we were connected. So I talked to her. It was Chosen. (Okay, so that''s why you can''t say it.) (What to do?) (It''s bad enough I''m meeting her now. You can''t judge her directly. ......) Eliza thought for a moment, and then she spoke up. Well, I''ll leave his affairs to you, Sir. "Are you sure, Your Majesty? "Deputy emperor and father, and my most trusted imperial treasure. Bringing up the word that someone used earlier to cheat - Eliza, who is going to get there first. "You can''t complain. I understand. I thought. Chosen''s punishment. and that he should be punished in a way that he feels "pain". Otherwise, it''ll happen again and again. Besides, I don''t think we should release him into the wild now. Now, what should I do-- Do you think you would like that, master? Amelia just peeked out of my shadow. Nearly all the maids from the falconry were brought in and kept in my shadow. Amelia came out and asked to speak. Of course the master of the moment. "Listen, Your Majesty. "Forgive me. Eliza nodded triumphantly and Amelia stepped out of my shadow completely, pinning and straightening up only to be buzzed around. There was a buzz around me. It seems that this is the first time most people have ever seen a person come out of the shadows as a spell or technique. "What''s up, Amelia? "Punishment, Mr. Alec, will be half as effective, or even more counterproductive, if you give it to him. It has to be something he doesn''t like. "Amelia or something. "Yes. Eliza called Amelia. They acted as if they were meeting each other for the first time, their positions being reversed 180 degrees from inside the house. Brilliant, use your brains for the rest of your life, Sir. "Thank you. There was a small "oh" and a small cheer as Amelia bowed her head as a maid. Again, an emperor''s compliment is a reward in itself. Some people and houses write down what they say and frame it. That''s what Amelia envied. "So, Amelia, what do you do? "Bring your husband here. Father? Look at Eliza curiously, asking permission. Eliza nodded quietly. The message quickly ran, and father, who was relaxing in the corner in full spectator mode, came in. "I have come to answer the summons. My father, following his manners, got down on one knee and bowed to Eliza. Then he stood up and bowed to me. In public, your father is a duke. Eliza is the emperor and I am the vice-emperor. He thanked them both. "Speak, Amelia," he said. "Yes . Mr. ...... Amelia softly whispered to her father. I can''t give you Chosen''s name, so this is right. I was close by and heard it. I''ll have Chosen punished, so you''ll have to treat her as your master''s maid for a while. (Well, not Alec, but my maid. You''ll be unable to serve Alec. (Yes) (I got it. (Let''s position them so that they can''t see us in the mansion. And I heard the exchange between the two. When the father finished speaking, he turned to Eliza again and said, "I see. "I see, it works. Good job, Amelia. I''m sorry. "As you wish, Your Majesty, leave this matter to me. Let the murderer be punished to the point of insanity. "Mm. Eliza nodded and the father got down from the platform. He''s going to go get Chosen right away. In its place, another soldier came up. The soldier was wearing the armor of the royal guard and ran straight to his boss Gile. I gave him a friendly ear, and he quirked an eyebrow. "Your Majesty. What''s up. "When the fallen wives are unconscious, from time to time "How? Eliza looked at me. Oh, I''m sorry!I''ll wake you up now. I was going to wait and see for a while, but there was so much going on after I got on the stand that I forgot all about it. I called the maids from the shadows. Just like with Amelia, the maids come out of the shadows one by one, to the admiration of those around them. "Go, my maids! The maids complied, stepped down from the platform and brought the homunculus that was enshrined underneath. Put it in front of me. The homunculus, the vessel containing the soul of the baby. I hold my hand over them and use Hershel''s secret. Then all at once the souls rush out and ascend to heaven. Then they scatter to their original place - their mother''s belly. Ooh, that''s ...... "Beautiful ...... "It''s like a child sent from heaven. ...... Ministers in admiration. Almost at the same time the souls were scattered, the clouds cleared and a rainbow appeared in the sky. It looked like a soul that had come on a rainbow. There were shouts of envy from here and there. 118 09. The Good Man Make the Mysteryon Vaccine "Dear Alexander! "Hey, you''re here, Xiaomei. After being told by the maid in the library of the mansion that she had a visitor, it was Xiaomei who appeared. Xiaomei Mei. She''s a student at the school of magic. She was insecure and frightened when I met her, but now she''s all grown up and mature. She''s still quiet, but she''s developed a core of character in her behavior. And most importantly. Her magic is stronger again. "Oh, really? "Yeah, I can see it. She''s got a lot of energy. Do you know who Cleopatra is? Let''s see, the great old beauty ...... Xiaomei replied, you are still terrified of this kind of time difference. I''m not afraid of this. The most beautiful woman of all time, the heroine of the era who changed the world. It is said that although she could not use magic, she had magical powers far beyond the reach of humans. "Well, ...... who couldn''t make a magic circuit by himself, right? I guess so. The kind of magic circuits I taught you to build with the mupapato system. There are people who just can''t seem to build this kind of magic circuit. "Yes. Cleopatra was, but in spite of that she had too much magical power. Then the enormous amount of magic circulated in the body and served only to invigorate the body. That''s why she was so beautiful. There''s a theory that . It was a long time ago, so we can only judge based on what information we have left. "But I think I''m right! Yeah? Xiao Mei''s tone of voice was unusually clear for her. ''''Yes!Because Mr. Alexander is much more ...... than before. Xiaomei''s cheeks were stained and she slumped down. ''''Always?'''' "Wow, you''re a lot more magical than I am. "Thanks. I''ve been working out a bit lately. He glanced at the sword of the wise man beside him and at the shadow protruding at his feet. Lotus in the shadows, the sword of the wise man with its blade gleaming. Auto-healing and auto-consumption, now I''m in a constant state of automatic magic training, 24 hours a day. Probably the maximum amount of magic power has increased by ten percent in the last while. "Speaking of which, what brought Xiaomei here? "Yes, I was, I''m sorry! Xiaomei hurriedly bowed his head once and then said. I''ve come to ask a favor of Master Alexander today. "Please?Say, I''ll do as much as I can for Xiaomei. "Thank you!You know, could you put it on training ......? "Training . ." "Xiaomei, are you graduating soon? "Yes! "I see. Training is where students nearing graduation from the school of magic go to work and learn in the field, in the army, guilds, and noble houses. The last stronghold of the emperor''s school of magic is willing to send its students out for training in order to increase its strength and create various pipes. Be that as it may. I see, Xiaomei is about to graduate. The first time we met is still fresh in my mind. "Yes ...... Xiaomei''s cheeks were stained and she slumped down gently. This smelled a little too obvious. Xiaomei is older than I am now. Okay, okay. You can come visit me anytime. "Thank you! Xiaomei was greatly pleased. It''s more obvious when her emotions are running high. I can see the magic activated by her body exuding from her body. Xiaomei is even stronger than before. I''ll teach you more when I come to the training. While I was thinking about this, there was a knock at the door. It''s a knock that conveys an urgent, impatient feeling. Come in. "Excuse me. It was the maid Amelia who came in. She bowed to my guest Xiaomei and then turned to me. What''s wrong Amelia, it''s rare to see you in such a hurry. I''m sorry. It''s urgent. "Impending?What''s up? "There has been an outbreak of soul-eaters in Psyche Village I''ll be there in a minute. I also felt my expression changed in an instant. Stars The village of Psyche. In the Alexander League territory, the original Carlisle territory, a village I''ve been caring for for a long time. I rushed there and killed the soul-eaters that occurred there. Just as I did with the falconry, I created a homunculus, drew its soul and then returned it to its mother body. The soul-eaters, for which we already have an established strategy, are nothing to worry about if you only want to exterminate them. On the other hand, the woman who was infected by the soul-eaters has reverted to human form and is lying face down in the middle of a field. The woman''s husband had flown off and taken her place. "Fu "Thank you! Another man came to me, bowed and thanked me. "And you? I''m his brother. Thank you so much for helping my sister! I see. Is there anyone else in the village who is pregnant? "Huh?Why do you do it: ...... "...... Oh Because I know what I know, I assume that they know what I know. To a stranger, that was just a vicious dragon. I quickly assessed the situation. A third of the buildings in the village are gone and most of the fields are mangled. There was only one demon dragon that did it. A soul-eater. So that''s it. That dragon will cling to a pregnant woman and turn her into one. So there''s probably no one else. "Yeah, yeah . Yes, yes. There''s no such thing as a congratulations, as far as I know. Children in these rural areas become intact labor force, and also rejoice more to have a child as a primal human emotion. There is little to hide. It would mean that he is not there after all. Then you''ll be okay now. Thank you . Thank you. ...... "What''s wrong with you, you look so unhappy. "Well, you''re obsessed with pregnant women, aren''t you? "Yes. Not yet, but I''ve been thinking that I should have a baby by now. I don''t know. I can''t do this every time. "Yes ...... I see what you fear. From what I''ve learned from the wise men''s sword, the soul-eaters are close to an epidemic of sorts. It was likely to be unleashed on that falconry site and "infected" more than one person, spreading across the country. In fact, it did, and this Psyche Village was half destroyed. And that means it will happen again in the future. I''ll figure out a way to prevent it. "Oh, thank you! * I returned to the mansion and came back to the study. In my solitude, I thought about preventive measures. We know how to get rid of the soul-eaters. I could create a homunculus to evacuate the souls and create a state of suspended animation in which the fetus is soulless and the soul-eaters disappear when they have no more souls to feed on. There''s no failure, no danger if I do it. And it''s not much of a stretch now that we have our magic restored. But there is a problem. It takes a long time from occurrence to resolution each time. Each time a soul eater appears, the village is wrecked while villagers rush to me for help. I''d rather think of something to do. "Feng. After I sighed, there was a knock at the door. Come in. "Excuse me. It was Xiaomei who came in. Xiaomei, you''re still here. Yes, I was just about to leave. I was just about to leave, but the maid said that Alexander was tired. If you look closely, you can see that Xiaomei had a tray of tea and cake on it. It''s an herbal tea for recovery, not effective for me, but it''s a comforting item. Usually one of the maids would bring it. Rumor has it there''s a pretty fierce battle for duty. You left it with Xiaomei to bring it to me. Incidentally, the maids have some idea of my biorhythm. At their request, maids who have been in my shadow can tell when I''m tired, hungry, or thirsty. Maids who want to serve me can sense this and bring me what I need when I need it. Xiaomei, who brought it instead, had lifted the cake by the plate and cast a spell. What are you doing, Xiaomei? "Yes!The maid said that this cake tastes better if you cool the bottom a little bit right before serving. I know. Xiaomei is very good at ice magic. It is quite an advanced technique to cast a spell only on the bottom, pinpointing a specific point. Xiaomei gives off the vibe that she can do it normally. "Thanks to you, Alexander. No, it''s Xiaomei''s talent. I''ve taught a lot of people, but even now, Xiaomei is the only one who has a permanent freeze without a magic tool ......, you know? "Mr. Alexander? I suddenly "stop" and Xiaomei looks at me curiously. I stare at Xiaomei, and the time when I met her flashes back into my memory. I see... A grimoire. "Huh? "Thank you Xiao Mei!Thanks to you. I grabbed Xiaomei by the shoulders and thanked her. Then I ran out of the study, leaving her standing there looking very surprised. Let''s see, ...... I''m not sure. Xiaomei, who remained in the room, beamed with a happy smile. "Alexander, I''m glad to be of service to you. ...... * The next day, the village of Linnetra. Hearing that the soul-eaters had appeared again this day, I rushed to the village. The damage was greater than yesterday''s Psyche Village because it was farther away from the mansion, so the call was delayed. When I rushed over, the village, including Astaroth''s hiding place, had been almost completely destroyed. Please!Please, please help us. "Please! The evacuated villagers swooped down on me all at once. I held out a sphere to them. It was an apple-sized egg that fit in the palm of my hand. What''s this? The nearest villager to the ball I offered him asked, "Try throwing this at that dragon. "Throw it at the dragon. "Huh?But, "It''s okay, try it. "Yes, yes ...... "I''ll do it! Another man comes forward to replace the puzzled man. "And you? "Let me get even with his ...... wife who was killed by him! "...... I see. That''s a misunderstanding. Certainly, if you don''t know about the soul-eaters, you could be mistaken for thinking that your wife was eaten by a dragon. Well, the misunderstanding is short-lived, and there''s no need to say anything now. I handed the man the ball. "Good luck. "Ah! The man who received it enthusiastically wiped the tears from his eyes and went towards the still rampaging soul-eater. Yakuza, the man was thirty meters away, within reach of an adult''s long throw. "f*ck you, monster! He threw the ball at it, letting out an angry roar. As the ball flew into the soul-eaters, it cracked in front of its eyes and flooded with light. A blinding light, everyone in the room covered their eyes. The light reached its peak in seconds and gradually subsided. When vision returned, all that was left was. Claire! It was the man''s wife, lying in the middle of a field. The man ran to his wife, stumbling along the way but desperately trying to get to her. Then he picks her up. Claire!Oh ...... do you really love it, Claire ...... A man cries tears of joy when he realizes that his wife is alive, even though she is unconscious. I gave the man a grimoire. It was an original grimoire that I made yesterday. Seeing Xiaomei, I remembered the existence of the grimoire. There was a time when those bad boys at the school of magic could use the super-high magic of perpetual freeze using a grimoire. A grimoire is a tool that, depending on how it''s made, can make even those who can''t use magic "use" magic. And now I can do most things, as long as I know what I want to do. So in one sphere I put together the ingredients of the homunculus and the magic to make it, with the help of Herschel''s secret formula. If the soul-eaters were an epidemic, the sphere was at best a vaccine. While the man hugs his wife and is moved, I give the spheres I''ve mass-produced - the vaccine we just saw work - to the other villagers. The mass production is already in progress. When the dragon appears again, use this to slay it. ""--thank you! The village is now ready. All we have to do now is to distribute it widely throughout the territory. 119 10.Good people, pushed on The Ryotei was built in the garden of a mansion, with a good view of the scenery. I was being served by my maid Agnes and looking at the Soul Eater Vaccine on the table. ''Is something troubling you, master? Maid Agnes. The Viscountess and one of the lady''s maids that the nobility sent in their droves at the same time. Amelia wouldn''t say anything here, she wouldn''t ask, but she was different and probably asked me what was on her mind. I know from experience that it''s easier to find solutions when you talk to people, so I usually answer Agnes. I just wondered if there was more to apply this in other ways. "What else? Have you explained this? "Yes. I was at the falconry. I''m sorry, that''s too early to tell. This is the Soul Eater''s ...... spellbook on how to slay the dragon. With this, even a baby can slay the dragon. "That''s the master! Smiling, I move on. As well as this one, I''m thinking about how I''m going to increase the number of different types of magic tools. Because the people who live there will figure it out, instead of me jumping around. In many ways . . something like ''This is it!'' Is there anything that makes you think, "I''m not going to be able to do that? "It''s okay!Anything the master can come up with will be great. I see. This was also different from Amelia. Amelia wouldn''t be here with unfounded beliefs and flattery, but Agnes wasn''t. Well, it sounded like she meant what she said, so I didn''t feel bad. While I was being served by Agnes, I thought about things. Hmm? What is the matter with you, master? It''s kind of noisy at the gate. "Oh, it''s true. With me, Agnes looked towards the gate of the mansion. Behind the fence-shaped gate there is a young girl, and through the fence a maid is answering the door. The girl is desperately asking for something and the maid is refusing it. By the way, the maid seems to be Chosen. It''s a bit scary to leave it to Chosen ...... "Agnes, go check on that. "Yes! Agnes, with a very happy look on her face at my command, trotted toward the gate. When she arrived, Agnes listened for a moment and then came back. How are you? Well, I would like to see my master, he is from the village of Linnetra. Yeah. What''s the trouble with Chosen? "Uh, ...... Agnes quirked an eyebrow. ''I don''t have time to see every single person downstairs,'' she said. "...... I see. I had a headache. I know you want to lift me up, but it''s not that simple. Agnes, bring that man in. "Yes. Agnes nodded with a natural look on her face. It''s the same maid, but she''ll be fine. What do you want to do about Chosen? "Since he''s in your custody, I want you to go to ...... and tell him to report everything that''s going on. I understand. Agnes went to the gate again to deliver my words. Chosen is very unhappy and comes toward me to protest. But he stops in mid-sentence. From a certain distance, it stopped moving forward. That''s the magic I cast. After the falconry, I left it to your father, of course, but I also cast that spell inside the house just in case it was needed. Even now, the contagion is still not completely under control, and what Chosen did, he needs to be punished properly. Unable to get to me, Chosen eventually gave up and trudged back inside the house. Meanwhile, Agnes brings the girls from the village. Her name is Lily Kanata. As soon as she came in front of me, she dropped to her knees and thanked me with very fumbling movements. "Don''t worry about that. It''s not what you''re used to. But they said we shouldn''t be disrespectful to our lords. I don''t care about that. More importantly, what do you want to see me about?What''s going on in the village again? "Oh, that''s okay!Really, thanks to the lord, everyone can go out into the field now. That''s good to know. Then why? When I asked back, Lily said to me, still with a bit of fear, but with a look of bold determination. "Let me serve my lord! "Is this the kind of thing you''d like to see at your service ...... under me? I said so and pointed at Agnes standing next to me. Then she looked very nervous and buzzed her hands in turn. I''m afraid of that. I''m afraid of that.Let me serve my lord!I don''t even need a paycheck! It was a lot of momentum, a lot of swagger. And she was very determined. Why? "Yes, it''s ...... You''re not going to be able to get away with it. I''ve always dreamed of serving my lord!But I haven''t had the opportunity to do that before ....... "I see. Maybe you''re a straightforward girl at ....... You don''t even know what you''re talking about. That monster gave you an excuse to get close to me. It''s practically saying that, but you''re too strong to know it. It''s cute. Also, the favor is comforting. I thought for a minute and held up two fingers, like a V-sign. "I''ll let you work, but on two conditions. "What, what is it!I''ll do anything! I shouldn''t be so careless as to say a girl will do anything ...... and continue the conversation. "The first is what to call it. The first is what you call it, but I''m not a lord. My lord is my father. "Oh ...... I''m sorry! You''ll have to fix it right from now on. "Yes!...... now? A look of anticipation crossed Lily''s face. And secondly, you have to get paid properly ...... because it''s a threat to my reputation if you work for free. "...... Yes! After a moment of stupefaction, Lily nodded happily. It''s a good idea to have Agnes take you to a maid''s uniform for measurements. It''s a good thing that ...... lord is very kind to you. ...... ....... I chuckled. She''s not rash, she''s perceptive. I was relieved to hear that she was an assertive girl who was barging in, but it wouldn''t be a problem to get her to work, I was relieved - but then I realized that Lily had become a burglar maid. When I learned that Lily had become a burglar maid. "Why such a commoner! And it was like Chosen had gone crazy without me. It''s still going to be messy over here. 120 11. A good man, an assured man Just before dusk, returning to the mansion of Carlisle, from the estate where he delivered the Soul Eater vaccine. Stoned by flying magic, landed in the yard and walked towards the mansion. Suddenly, from some distance, a familiar voice came from a distance. Yes, that''s how you wipe the windows. That''s how you wipe down the windows, otherwise it will leave a residue and ruin the brightness inside the house. And the view. It''s Eliza''s voice. Curious, you change directions and head toward where you hear the voice. Around the corner, I see three maids cleaning the window. One of them is Eliza, whom you heard in the voice, and the other two are Agnes and Lily. The two senior maids, Eliza and Agnes, seem to be teaching the newcomer, Lily, how to do her job. Cleaning windows is an important job. Agnes said. "Yes, You still don''t understand. Lily, go back inside the house and stand there. "Yes ......? I''m not sure if I understand what''s going on, but I still went inside the mansion as I was told. When I stood at the spot designated by Agnes, Eliza and Agnes outside picked up some soil from the ground and stuck it to the window glass. The sun''s rays cast a shadow on Lily''s face. What if it''s the master standing there? "You''re going to get in Alec''s face, "Yes, yes! It''s a good thing that you''re not going to have to worry about it. I don''t really care about it, but from the maids'' point of view, it''s important. The two maids are in a hurry to wipe off the soil left behind by the two senior staff members. "There''s no need to rush. Yes, I wouldn''t blame you if you were in the middle of work, even if Alec were to pass by. No, I''m not angry about the shadows on my face to begin with. As long as it''s clean when it''s done. What you can''t do is just cut corners and get it over with. So be slow, but be polite. "Yes! Lily was serious and earnest when she answered. Eliza and Agnes looked at each other and smiled at each other. When this is over, let''s take a break. Okay, let''s take a break. I''ll fix you a snack. With that, Eliza goes back inside the mansion. We have a policy that our maids take a break when they can. People aren''t that strong and often things cannot be overcome by energy alone. Work is work and rest when you have to. That was a vague policy from your father''s generation, and I made it clearer. That''s what the maids are doing. I''m glad to see that the new girl is doing well. Not wanting to disturb the maids'' time, I quietly moved away, silencing their footsteps and their presence. The night study. I was working on the paperwork, and Lily was assisting me. It''s more of a hands-on learning experience. Alexander''s domain is still slowly spreading. More and more noblemen who have sent their maids to join the alliance have practically joined it. With the scope of their duties expanding, they often delegate maids to maids, so we''re training the newcomers to become part of the team. And so, after processing most of the paperwork. knock. And then there''s a knock at the door. "Who''s there? "It''s me, Alec. "Eliza?Please. The door opened and a plainclothes Eliza came in. "What''s up? I just came to say goodbye to my vacation. I''m leaving now to go back to the palace. That''s right. No wonder she''s in civilian clothes and calls herself "Alec". Now she''s no longer a maid in the house, she''s back to being a lurking emperor. So I would like to give you one word of advice, Alec. It''s horrible that His Majesty would come to you to say that. "Huh? A surprised voice came from right beside me. It''s our new maid, Lily, helping with chores. She looked at me and Eliza in turn with a very surprised look on her face. Ko, Tei? "Huh?Eliza didn''t tell you?It looks like they were getting along great. "I won''t tell. I''m a maid when I''m a maid. I mean, Eliza chuckled, her lips twitched. "Do I look like the kind of girl who usually says, ''Your Majesty, you must respect me, eh? "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. Eliza is not that kind of woman. She doesn''t use her authority any more than necessary, even when she''s the emperor. I see. So this is the first time for Lily. What''s this all about? This is the Emperor, His Majesty Elisabeth I. "I''m a burglar, though. "Eeeeeeee!You were the emperor? I''m not so sure about that honorific title: ......, maybe I''m just too aristocratic. The "sama" is the highest level of respect for the common people who don''t know the subtleties of etiquette. Merchant, god, nobleman--the emperor. An emperor is their highest form of respect. Oh, my God. I may have done some rudeness. "Lily "Yes, yes! Lily biked!As if to stand taller, as if to say, "Kirtsuke! pose. "When I''m dressed like that, I''m a maid. I''m Alec''s maid. I''m not the emperor. "Oh, really? I think you know best how it feels to want to do that, don''t you? "Yes!I totally understand! Lily is a fierce affirmation. It''s Lily who barges in and asks you to let her serve you even if you don''t want to pay her. I''m sure there''s something in common. Incidentally, as well as paying Eliza''s salary, not to mention Lily. It''s a normal amount for a maid. Eliza looked really happy to receive it, which was impressive. "So don''t worry about what happened when I was a maid. We''ll come back and you''ll be like a normal person. "Yes--oh, but "But? Eliza''s brow furrowed, but only for a moment. "''Now'' is a burglar emperor and a valued guest of my master. And straightened up again. When Eliza saw this, her eyebrows widened and she giggled. That''s good. The thought of switching between them. I like it. I''m going to be a good maid. I think so, don''t you? Yeah. . you''re the kind of person I''d feel comfortable entrusting my work to. The praise from me and Eliza, which made Lily giggle happily. A bargain. No, you''re naturally surrounded by women like that. It''s just the way it is. It could be. It''s an SSS-rated life. I don''t remember you being able to see the soul? "Yes. I talk to Eliza about it. Emperor Eliza, she doesn''t waste time talking out of turn, so she talks about most of it. "She was born a commoner, now I wonder about her soul. "...... Heh. Using the power of God, I saw Lily''s soul. Surprisingly, even though she was born as a rural commoner, her soul has a B-grade. With this rank, one is usually born in a better place. A semi-aristocrat, a merchant, or a modest landowner. That''s where a B-rank reincarnation would normally take place. Lily was born into a peasant family and yet she is a B-rank soul. That is to say that your ability, talent, and luck have an effect on your rebirth rank. That''s the way it is. That''s the way it is, and that''s the way the people who come to you are going to add to your life. I hope so. "So, one word of advice, Eliza back to a straight face. I remember now, too. It''s a story I had to stop in the middle of because of Lily. Oin''s daughter, you had better send her back. Mmm. ...... It was Eliza''s, pretty serious advice. 121 12. Good people, dont be upset when caught off guard Sanet Village. The estate of Agnes Member''s father, Viscount Member, who recently became a maid. Here my father and I were invited. The village is celebrating this day. There is a 20 meter high plateau in the central square, and at a distance is the grand dignitary''s table where we are. The high ground is the star of the festival, from which boys are jumping down from it one after another. A bungee jump where both feet are tied up with magic strings and dropped head over heels. Even if you fall down by magic, the bungee jump is safe and secure, but it is also very scary. The boys have been flying through it since a while ago. Boys even younger than me, just 10 years old, naturally scream at the 20-meter bungee, but very rarely do they scream. But very rarely, there is a boy who can barely hold back his screams. The villagers, as well as me, my father, and outside spectators like Viscount Member, applaud the boy generously. The magic cord will never kill or even injure you. Even knowing that, there aren''t many children who don''t scream when they are dropped headfirst from a height of 20 meters. Interesting coming-of-age ritual. While watching a 10-year-old boy, still screaming and peeing, being unstrapped, the father gives his opinion. To which the Viscount Member replies. It is an old tradition in our village, that from the age of ten years old, a child of our village can try it and if he can do it without screaming, he will be recognized as a full-fledged adult". Well, it''s more reasonable than a blanket assessment of your age. It''s much more reasonable than a blanket statement of age. Father said with a straight face. You''ve never sounded more sensible than you are now," he said with a straight face. "Alec was an adult from the moment he was born. It was the same father as always. As expected of the guru of "Father and His Merry Friends". That''s our father. On the other hand, the member Viscount is also very reverent to me, though he is normal when talking to his father. If this is the case, he''s on the verge of joining the church. The coming-of-age ceremony was a big celebration for the entire Thanet village. Except for the boy who was very nervous about the challenge, all the adults around us were having a big feast, drinking and singing, and they treated us in the VIP section one after another. Some of the girls are quite serious, too. I found a group of girls a short distance away from the high ground, watching with a look of more seriousness than the boys, in a way. The girls were about the same age as the boys, around ten years old. They were old ladies back then. The member Viscount broke down and happily answered my question. Since you can become an adult from 10, the boys will aggressively seduce the girls from early on. If you succeed in this, you''ll be able to grow up, own a house and a farm, and even get married. That''s a big challenge. So that''s what it means to be an adult. It comes with a proviso that you are successful, but in this village, you can get married at age 10. Alec has been engaged to Angel since he was one year old. "Father, it''s barren to compete with each other. Incidentally, as a nobleman, son of a nobleman and a baron, I could have married at the age of one, as my father said, if I had wanted to. Political marriages, succession problems. There are so many reasons why a nobleman should marry a man even if he is older. In some cases, you can even get married in your belly--or even before you are born--without getting engaged. So it''s sterile to bring it up, and I change the subject. "So, I guess that''s the boy over there with all the swagger, the one who got it last year. I pointed to a boy hunched over on the other side of the plateau. He''s almost the same age as the kids challenging now, hunched over like a little lord. The member Viscount asked the villagers around him. It seems so. So only one of them succeeded in the ritual last year? I see. . it''s kind of a big deal. If you were the only one who succeeded last year, then there are kids your age who are trying again this year. You look down on them from below, looking up at them from a position of success, so it''s only natural for you to be like that. That''s just plain rude. Suddenly, I heard the voice of the member viscount''s reprimand. When I looked, I saw that the member was angry with the villagers I had just heard about. What''s the matter? I''m sorry. The villagers told me that if the Father of the Nation honored him, this year''s child would have the courage to do so. It''s not good. When the father heard the story, he answered immediately. "Yes, it''s quite true. "Refusing to talk about it makes me doubt Alec''s brawn. It would make you question the brawn of Alec to refuse it. Dad, lifting me up as usual, but this time I agree. No, little or not, I don''t care. I don''t care if it''s little or not. If I''m just going to say a few words to the boy to get other kids fired up, I don''t see why I should say no. "Yeah, let''s do it. Can you get him, please? Oh, your generosity is impressive. I''m impressed. Hey, boy! The member Viscount immediately sent instructions to the villagers, and they began to hurry about. While waiting for the boy to be brought in, I spoke to father. "Father. How is Chosen now? You have tried to get close to Alec on several occasions, and I''ve been very persuasive in the mansion. Is that so? Yes, as expected, given the Duke''s private orders, I will obey them. But what''s the matter, is it enough of a punishment? "I''ve been thinking about that as well. Eliza advised me to ''cut'' her off. "Don''t do it, don''t do it, Alec. Father''s reaction was a little unexpected -- "It really makes you question Alec''s mettle to do so. --And it was the same as always. "I have a message from His Majesty the Emperor. It doesn''t matter. And your father said flatly, "I don''t care what the emperor says. Your father is also a totally steady man when he dismisses the Emperor''s words as irrelevant. Anyway, I''ve been thinking about her for a while now. "Mm, I''m rooting for you, Alec. "Is there anything you can do for me or rely on me, Father? "When Alec needs to do that, that''s when the world will end!Then let us perish with an open mind. Please be a little blunt, father. It''s all right. Meanwhile, a boy from earlier came to the guestroom where we are. It''s a pretty girl about his age with a girl behind her. Is that his wife? "I guess so. You have a look on your face that says you''re all in the books. Hmm? That''s what being a man - a grown man is all about. Your father, unusually - this time he said something serious. Adult, wife, life''s balance. I''m not as old as I look. I have memories of previous lives, and I lived long enough to be called "old man" in a previous life. That''s what you''re trying to say. I''ve seen thousands of people who say that when a child is born, it''s all accounted for all their lives. And then a boy with the same look on his face--a young couple--came to the honored guests'' table. The boy is confident and nervous and the girl is sweating profusely on her forehead, purely out of nervousness. The challenge is paused, all the participants in the festival are looking at the honored guests'' table. Now, I was wondering what to say to the other boys () since they are all looking at you. "Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh ...... Almost in front of me, within speaking distance, the girl suddenly cowered, held her stomach and began to suffer. The next thing I know, people are rushing to see what''s wrong. "Whoa! The girl''s body suddenly swells up, from a cute figure to a deformed - demonic dragon form. The soul eater, a demon dragon that feeds on the soul of a baby while changing its host. The demon dragon blows away everyone around it, including the boy, and swings its paws at me. The open claws are so huge that they could cover the guest room by themselves. Why such a little girl?The question, "What''s going on?" slowed my movements by a few seconds more than usual. Those seconds of bewilderment that would have looked like a stick-up to anyone who knew me well. As my initial reaction was delayed, a shadow flashed in front of me. Right beside me, a village girl who''s been quietly serving me all along. She stood in front of me with her arms outstretched, shielding me from the soul-eaters. She moved without hesitation, a move that did not spare her life in the slightest. Rude! "...... Chosen! The voice, the language, and the profile that stared straight at the demon dragon. It was the Chosen that your father had left behind in the house. She defended me with a movement that didn''t even scare me to death. I didn''t have to. ...... I was confused, for sure. I was confused for sure, and my initial reaction was delayed. So the demon dragon soul-eater beat me to it, but that was nothing to me now. I grabbed my right hand and pulled back and then swung it out. Over Chosen''s shoulder, I collide with the demon dragon''s claw. Mischief. The VIP''s pedestal is slumped a little. Boom! The soul eater was blown twenty meters into the sky, higher than the ceremonial eminence. He created a homunculus at the drop of a hat and used Herschel''s secret formula to pull the soul out and back in again. The baby''s soul was drained out and the dragon quickly reverted to its original form as a little girl, and slowly landed on the ground, wrapped in my power. It''s like a momentary illusion, as all the people present feel as if they''ve been pinched by a fox. "Hmph. Chosen is the same, with the same arrogant tone. "You are a blunderer, aren''t you? Without a care in the world, not caring about the change in soul-eaters. He threw up on the now fallen girl. 122 13. Accepting good people and troublemakers At night, the Carlisle mansion. When I returned to the mansion after the Sannett Village Festival was over, I was in your father''s office. Inside the office are your father, me, and Chosen. Father sitting, me standing beside him, and Chosen standing in front like a sinner. The reason I''m here and not in my study is because your father has Chosen now. "Why were you in Thanet? The questioning was not done by me, but by my father. It''s because she''s Father''s maid. Pressured by his father, Chosen replied forcefully, "I told you to stay in the house. I told you to stay in the house. "Ugh ...... "I want to be with Alec. Any other plea. None. Chosen replied immediately. Troublemaker, but also refreshing. "Okay. Alec. "Yes, Father. I leave it to you to decide. "Are you sure, Father? I asked back with a raised eyebrow. Of course, not just in this case, not literally. Before Chosen showed up, that is, just before the soul-eaters showed up, I was talking to my father about Eliza. She told your father that Eliza had warned her to cut Chosen off. And yet, your father returned the chosen to me. ...... No, that''s why, so. What do you mean? You''re your maid. ...... that too. I slowly turned to Chosen. "Wait for me, Father. "What is it?Do you have anything additional to offer? "No. Chosen was extremely calm. They should be here in a few minutes. "Arrival? Yes. As I was wondering what this was all about, there was a knock on my office door. A maid of your father''s came in. She''s the former head maid who only takes care of your father after handing it over to Amelia. She''s just the chaperone, but she''s doing it right, so it''s no secret. "Master, you have a visitor. "Customer?At this hour? With the Duke of Oin''s family. My father and I both looked at Chosen. He''s here. When Chosen said with a smile, I looked at my father and compared them to each other. . I went out the front door and there were two girls. Sister! Here they come. They looked first at Chosen, who was next to me. I guess I didn''t run to him right away because my father and I--the duke and the father of the country--were right in front of him. Beyond them is the luggage. It''s more than just a trip, it''s a moving package. What''s this about, Chosen? I''ve called all my sisters. Please let me be Father''s maid. She''s a rash and a troublemaker, but her faith in me is a real chosen . She said to me in a pestilential tone. That''s fine, all of them? Yes, we are three sisters. It''s okay? I was surprised. The fact that the maids of honor have been sent around me one after another is seen as a kind of political marriage by their fathers, if not by them. I''ve turned down a lot of arranged marriages, as I''ve decided and professed that my main room is Angers. Hossen''s "I''m not counting beyond a thousand! is a testament to the sheer number of them. Because it was known that maids would accept them, everyone sent them in droves. That''s why they all have only "one" because of that nature. Where there was more than one daughter, they would send one, and where there was no daughter, they would send it for a hurriedly adopted daughter. Most of the time it was like that. Even though I''ve been a nobleman for more than ten years, this is the first time they''ve taken a daughter and sent her to me, which was a bit of a surprise. Be that as it may. Everywhere I went, I only sent one person to make a connection, and Chosen invited not only her, but her sisters as well. And all of them. Are you sure about this? I was so surprised that I had to ask twice. I know what you mean. Yeah, I had a fight with your father. Of course I got in a fight with him. You got that far? This is completely right by Duke Oin. It is strategically stupid to put all the eggs in one basket. ''''Of course. The Father''s side is the happiest place in the world. You''re a man, you don''t understand. "I''m a man, but I understand. You should be more aware of how blessed you are to be your father''s father. ...... hmmm, this is a fierce case. No, no, no, father, what are you going to do if you are convinced? I mean, you were just lightly lectured.That''s the thing. ...... I hope it''s okay, because it''s about your father. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. "My sisters will be maids for our father. "...... It was real. He was delusional, he didn''t listen to me, and that''s gotten him into a lot of trouble. Chosen''s feelings were real, it felt real. Let''s start with ...... because they haven''t done anything () yet. Okay. I''ll take both of you as maids. "Thank you!Here you guys are too. "Oh, thank you! I''ll do my job. And Chosen is ....... "Chosen, about you, "Yes. Chosen gave me a blank stare. "You will be my maid again. "Are you sure, Alec? Yes, father, I think you should keep it out of sight, yet That''s right. Then Chosen Oin, your punishment is lifted now. From now on you will do your duty for Alec. Of course. Chosen said proudly, not surprisingly. That''s not the attitude of a maid. Huh? The conversation had just ended when the door of the house opened and Eliza came in. "Master?How did it get here?And the customer? When Eliza came into the mansion, she called me "master". That means I''m back to be a maid. Eliza said to her. "Have you been skipping work again? I was angry. I''m not skipping out, it''s a proper master-approved vacation. No, it''s sloppy. Don''t you realize that you are Father''s maid in the first place? How can you lose your vacation every time you take one? Chosen to preach with all his might. It was an amazing scene. The duchess said to the emperor, "Do you realize that you are a maid? And preaching. It''s a surreal sight. What''s even more amazing is that neither you nor Chosen think it''s funny, and what''s more-- Yes, I do, and when I''m a maid, I work hard. Even Eliza is about to stand in the same ring and talk. "...... Hey Chosen "What is it? "What would you do if the guy was my maid of honor? The exchange with Eliza was so great that I couldn''t help but ask her. When asked the question, Chosen answered immediately without hesitation. "You mean Astaroth. "Huh? "It''s a well-known fact that the Father follows God. But even if he is a god it doesn''t change anything. Whoever he is, he''s just a maid. No, not God, but something more straightforward and awesome. Or the emperor. Whatever it is, I''m with you. Chosen to answer immediately without hesitation. ...... is amazing. I think that Chosen is more of a girl than I thought. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work for you. "Ugh, well, that''s ...... If you want to make your own decisions, at least be a head maid. A maid would never do that. Of course it is. "Gunununu ...... Chosen by Eliza on the same stage. "Father wouldn''t be intimidated by such a thing. "You know you''re annoying your master, maid. "Gunununu ...... I''m going to try to fight back even more, but I''m still stuck in it. I''m sure you''re going to be able to find a way to make your life easier for you and your family. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good time with them. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that ...... is a good place to start. I''ll work for you. Chosen''s sisters looked so happy, and I saw their happy faces immediately. I thought to myself, "Okay, that''s good. 123 01. The Good Man Helps the Princess of the Horse Then I''ll take care of Xiaomei. The entrance of the magic school, me, Xiaomei and the principal Ethan. After we finished our regular classes, I decided to take Xiaomei, who will be doing her training at my place. Take good care of Xiaomei. "It''s fine, but ...... how come there are so many students over there? Curious, I asked the principal. Beyond the headmaster, on the grounds of the school. Hidden in the shadows--so many of them, no hiding at all--they were looking at us. "They all came here voluntarily. The vice emperor ...... no, they must be jealous of Xiaomei''s willingness to be taken personally by his father. "I see. Certainly if you look closely, most students have a twinkle in their eye, some are blowing their handkerchiefs in frustration, and some are crying in frustration. I envy you, huh? Xiaomei. You are going to study hard. "Yes!Principal. After Xiaomei replied, I reached out my hand to her. Xiaomei timidly took my hand. Students cheered. Then let''s go! "Yes. He took Xiaomei and flew up into the sky with his flying magic. I slowly jumped out and headed in the direction of the Carlisle mansion so that the other students could see me better. I gradually increase my speed and Xiaomei squeezes me. Are you okay?Shall I slow down? "That''s okay, A panicked Xiaomei . "I hope it''s okay, but yes, you can hang on more to be safe. Gave Xiao Mei another good excuse, which may be embarrassing to admit to being scared . "Yes ...... Then Xiaomei''s cheeks were shyly colored and she clung to him even tighter than before. If you might be scared, you shouldn''t fly too fast. I fly at about 70% of my normal speed and slowly return to the mansion. "Huh? Finding something to care about, I stopped in mid-air. "What is it, Mr. Alexander? "That Xiao Mei looked where he was pointing. "Oh, someone''s been attacked. There was a carriage on a very well maintained highway connecting the magic school and the imperial capital. People on horseback chased it and attacked it. The horse was killed and the carriage overturned. Just before it overturned, the riders--two women--began to break free and now they ran away. It was soon caught up to them. One was a knight in shining armor, this one was still good. The other one was dressed like a princess or a lady in fine dress. The knight, who can''t run as fast as she looks, is quickly caught and surrounded by men on horseback. This is ...... I need to help her. That''s right. I jumped out again. I flew to the scene of the attack with Xiaomei, who clung to me more naturally than before. "Heh-heh-heh..." "Geh-heh-heh-heh-heh..." "What a pain in the ass... "I''m not openly complaining, either, so don''t make me do it too much. That''s as far as it goes, though. Just before landing, I heard the words and saw the outfit of the attacker. I thought they were bandits or marauders, but it seems that there''s something more to it than that. Now, come to term. "Phew-- The female knight puts her hand on her sword and tries to fight back. Then I jumped in. She lands with Xiaomei in her arms and draws the sword of the wise man on her back, destroying the weapons of all her attackers. What! "Who the hell are you! The assailants are surprised at my appearance. When they stop in their bewilderment, I call out more. Go ahead, guys. When I called out a command, the maids appeared from behind the men. The shadows of me and the men connected to an unguarded street, in a dense area. The maids who live in my shadow can also come out of the other shadows connected to it. All at once the lady''s maids came out from behind the men and deftly tied them up. The men all rolled off their horses and the maids went back into the shadows. When I was sure the scene was settled, I turned to the two men who had been attacked. "You''re all right--you''re all right. The tone of voice is deliberately gentle. The two who were running away from the attack. The knight is shielding the lady and pointing her sword at me. I guess he sees me as a warning sign. We''re just passing through, but we mean you no harm. "...... The female knight stared at me as if she priced me out. I could almost hear her say, "Can you trust this guy? Excuse me, Zella. "Dear Mr. Riette: ...... Put your sword away. Isn''t he the one who helped us? "...... will The female knight called Zella did as she was told and put her sword away. I''m sure she''s sincere and loyal, but she hasn''t let down her guard. Meanwhile, Xiaomei asked me about the men''s treatment. ''''Mr. Alexander. What do you want to do with these people? "Alexander! It was Zella who reacted violently to that. She was staring at me even more. There was a different kind of stare. Is the age right ...... and the features are also ...... real? He mumbled something and then asked timidly. "Are you Alexander Carlyle? Yes, I do. What about you guys? "Ho, proof of authenticity Zella asked me about it. "It''s a tough one. I''ve got one of those. I pulled out a piece of parchment with the crest on it that I carry around with me at all times, to use when I need it. "It''s real. It was Reece who reacted. She pulled out a sealed envelope. It was opened, but with my seal stamped on it. "Excuse me! Zella bowed with a flash. The suspicion and the immediate bowing down are all very hardcore knightly. "You were looking for me?What can I do for you? "Your Highness, I ask you to help Princess Rietzsche''s exile! Asylum? I looked at Reece. She was staring at me with eyes that begged for help. 124 02. A good person easily sees a real princess When they learned that I was Alexander Carlyle, they straightened up. "I am Zella Vireo. This is my lord, His Highness Rithe Silvermoon. "Silvermoon I couldn''t help but parrot it. I know that name. It''s the name of a royal family in one of several tributaries on the periphery of the empire. I see. So that''s why she''s a princess. The lady knight Zella nodded. "Yes. What''s this about helping with the asylum? "Our country has shown reverence ever since it fell to the Empire a hundred years ago. I guess so. Ask the wise man''s sword on his back about the history of Silvermoon in real time. I''ll ask the wise man''s sword on his back about Silvermoon''s history in real time, to make sure he''s not lying to you. "We don''t want to fight the Empire again, we are too different in power, and we only need to protect our ancestral lands, our sacred lands. I see. Spiritual Land. The sacred ground of the Silvermoon royal family. As long as one lives there, the royal family will remain young until death. At one time, the empire, mistakenly believing that this would give them immortality, advanced their armies and invaded the land. But when the emperor learned that the only people who could actually become immortal were the direct royalty of Silvermoon who lived in the spirit land, he had no choice but to give up, make them tributary and withdraw his army. However, there are some forces within the royal family that don''t like it: ...... Zera''s face twisted for a moment as she continued to explain. "They have grown in strength, and now is an opportune time-- I was about to say, huffing and puffing, when Zella. The hard-nosed female knight looks at me with a deathly frightened expression. "Tell me, but first I need the truth. ...... yes. Rebellions have been rampant, and with the Empire weakened, now is the time to do something about it. We should raise an army and become independent of the Empire. "I see. It''s a story that''s painful to hear. This is a story that looks like Eliza''s fault, but it''s not Eliza''s fault. Eliza''s father, the former emperor, was a man of stupidity. He was so badly judged that he was graded D and dropped by the commoners when he was reincarnated. That foolish emperor imposed an oppressive rule, but held back the rebellion with equal force. By contrast, the current emperor, Elisabeth, is a wise emperor. Good governance but also "loosened", so rebellions have been rife here since Elisa''s accession. In other words, she is suffering from her father''s negative legacy, Eliza. "You can''t win against the Empire. You can''t win against the Empire. ...... Zella bites down on a bitter worm and mutters. That pretty much sums up the situation. If you stay in the country, you''ll be carried along on the merry-go-round. If you refuse, you''re killed. If you ride, the Empire will crush you and you''ll be killed. If there''s any chance of survival, it''s now or never. Right. Zella nodded quietly. "I see. I looked at Zella, and then Rietzsche, in that order. That makes sense. We need to talk. "Eliza. I called the maid Eliza, who is in the shadows. Eliza came out with a maid-like blush. "You wanted to see me, master? I want to hear it. Is the emperor now going to be pardoned if he defected, or did he do a retreat? If you don''t mind me saying in general terms - the timing is not reasonable to hold them accountable. Eliza is not the emperor, but answers with a (,). Well, Eliza is willing to accept. I see. I don''t know what''s wrong, Eliza is looking at me a little unhappily. "What''s the matter, Eliza? "...... Eliza to be mute and mulled over. Think about it for a moment, and then you''ll see. Eliza is not her father, she''s trying to be a wise emperor. She''s angry with me for daring to listen to generalizations. I''m sorry, I guess I don''t need to hear that. "No. When I apologized, Eliza, who was in a slightly better mood, retreated into the shadows. I''ll have to apologize a little more properly later. Be that as it may, it''s just the two of us now. Okay, I accept. "Really?! "Yes, Your Majesty will understand. I''ll make sure of that. A relieved Zella and Reece looked at each other. "Well, let''s get some first aid in. "First aid, is it? Zera craned her neck, wondering what was being done to her. I draw my wise man''s sword and hold it to the ground. I use the sword of the baboons to amplify its magic. Now I will cast the plough''s wards on them. When it is applied, the princess will be invincible for as long as they are together, no matter what is done to her. "There is such a thing ...... "Yeah, I''m going to go then, I closed my eyes and welded them together. With two opponents, an amplification device called the Philosopher''s Sword, and constant training in magic, I was able to cast a spell on both of them more smoothly than I had in the past. I was able to cast a spell on them more smoothly than I did in the past. When I opened my eyes, I saw their faces as if they were unavailable and wanted to say something. Don''t worry, we''re all good. Now the princess won''t get hurt, no matter what they do to her. If you want to do that, you''ll have to kill the guards first. "Oh, thank you. "Thank you, thank you. ...... They still have something to say. Oh, I''ll reveal it to you in the meantime. I used a sleep spell. I tied them up and put them to sleep if they were deliberately listening to me. Then I pulled the wise man''s sword from the ground and lightly slashed Zera. The slash was swung down from the direction of the kesa. It''s a strange feeling, responsive but not responsive. This is how the princess is invincible. But the riffraff will aim at you, so you''ll be invincible. "...... huh? "Yeah! The Amazing Two. Why me? It''s okay, these people aren''t listening. You''re the princess. Is your name still Zera?Or are you Princess Reece? "Yeah, uh, that ...... The female knight is confused when her hidden identity is discovered. Why, why ...... For three reasons. First, your soul was more beautiful. I didn''t dare say "rank", but another way to describe it. "The princess and ...... this one maybe a handmaid?It''s a whole different spirit. "...... And the soul and the body, I guess you could call it a fusion of soul and body. It''s like a soul and a body that''s been acclimated over a long period of time. That''s the feeling I got from the soul-eating one, while I was draining and draining souls. And finally. This was stupid of you. "Wow, my? You just said something like you actually witnessed a battle 100 years ago. Only the direct royalty in the spirit land have immortality. "Ah, ...... A woman knight who huffs and holds her mouth - and the princess. With the wise man''s sword, the final answer to the question, the information is extracted. "Reece Silvermoon. You''re 256 years old this year. She was startled to death. 125 03. Good people do waterworks The female knight Zella renamed Princess Riette. Rietje in the form of a princess, renamed Zella. These two, along with Xiaomei, who had been brought here from the magic school, were the four people who used flying magic to fly to Carlisle''s house. The four of us used flying magic to fly to Carlisle''s house. The ...... Alexander. In the sky, Xiaomei asked in a timid voice. What is it, Xiaomei? "Were those people willing to do nothing? You mean the people who attacked Princess Reece? You will be able to get a good idea of what you are looking for. They were curious because it was their business. It won''t do you any good. If we just let him go, he''ll escape on his own and spread the word. "Rumor, is it? Yes. The rumor that the knights would have to come after her, and that Princess Rietzsche was protected by the Imperial Father. I wanted you to spread these two rumors, so I let them spread. That''s right. Xiaomei nodded quietly and understandably. At the same time, Reece and Zera could see that they were both relieved. Flying with the three of them, they soon arrived at the mansion. A corner of the yard, a large, empty space that we dared to make large. A space I''m using for my return landing. There, I drop the three women off slowly. At some distance I see a maid clattering into the distance. It looks like they''re in a hurry. "Agnes I called out to her, who was my maid. Agnes stopped, and when she saw that it was me, she ran up to me with a happy face. Welcome home, master. "Yeah, I''m back. What''s more important, what are you doing here?It sounds like you''re in a bit of a rush. The water supply in the house has been damaged a little bit, and we are in the process of repairing it. That''s a lot of work. Buildings and towns with a certain standard of living, such as this Carlisle mansion, the royal palace, or the imperial city, have a water supply. A steady water supply is a major factor in sanitation, and just having it makes you much less prone to disease. Spending a lot of money on it when the country was founded led to the subsequent strength of the empire. ...... Somehow I was curious about the rank of the soul of the first emperor who ordered the waterworks construction when he was reborn. And I thought that the empire was largely unshaken by the waterworks, despite the previous emperor''s misdeeds. I''m sorry to hold you back. Good luck with the repairs. "Yes!Master. "Mr. Alexander, can I come and help you? "Xiaomei?Well, you''re good at ice magic. I wonder if I can count on you. I''ll take care of it! The enthusiastic Xiaomei left with Agnes. I thought with the way she looked, they would be finished today. Next, I turned around to find ...... to lay them to rest. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out what''s going on with the newer, but I''m sure you''ll be able to find out what''s going on. You will be able to find out what''s going on. "Isn''t she ...... an Agnes member? "You know? Yes, I have a certain amount of history with the member Viscount. The last time I saw him was when he was this young. Riette held her palms up to her knees. She''d be about a year or two old at that level. I''m not sure I''d recognize her, and no wonder Agnes didn''t notice. I took Reece and Zella into the house and went straight to my study. I took out a piece of paper on my desk, wrote a letter in proper script, put it in an envelope and sealed it with my seal. And while they were wondering. "Eliza. From the shadows called the maid Eliza. "You wanted to see me, master? Eliza, acting as a perfect maid as ever. I handed her an envelope. "Your task, give this to the Emperor. "To Your Majesty, is it? "Yeah. 100% in Your Majesty''s hands (). Because you''re the only one who can do it. "I understand. I''ll take care of it. "Get your reply from His Majesty. "Yes. Eliza nodded, put the envelope in her pocket, bowed to the maid and left the study. Looking away from it, and then turn toward the two of them. You''ll hear back from me in a few days, so please wait for me. "Yes. They--especially Reece--were visibly relieved. It seemed to relax her, and she staggered and collapsed into a heap. Reece! "Princess! Zella in her princess form hurriedly hugged Riette''s upper body. "It''s okay ...... that, "Yes! Zella hurriedly took out a palm-sized water bottle and put it on Rietje''s mouth. In an instant, Reece, who had become paper complexioned and looked like a very sick person, weakly moved her throat up and down and swallowed it. Then a little bit of red came back to his formerly white complexion. What''s the matter with you?What''s wrong with you? It''s a good thing that you''re able to get the most out of it. The princess is like this when she comes out of the spiritual land. Without the power of the earth that comes from the spirit world, the princess is ...... "I see. After hearing Zera''s explanation, I understood the situation in an instant. She might be immortal if she stayed inside the spiritual land, but she could die if she left the spiritual land. It''s called conditional immortality. ''''Then what''s with the water? It is the water of the Sacred Fountain, the heart of the sacred ground. Containing much of the power of the Sacred Fountain, it will help you get through a little. So what''s wrong with losing it? Zella nodded gravely. I see, so we should do something about that first. "Mi, will you get me some water? Zella''s hopeful face, as if she had seen the Messiah. Let''s just follow me. Let''s see if I can walk. "Yes ...... Rietje, who still looks not so good, but still recovered enough to walk. I took Reece and Zella out of the study. Lily. "Yes! Call the maid Lily from the shadows. "What''s your spare guest room? This way. Walk out with Lily''s lead. The Carlisle mansion is originally a duke''s house, guests come quite often. Even when I''m not here, the emperor often comes. That''s why the guest rooms are quite lavishly built. In one of them, I was guided by Lily. Thank you. "Yes! Rewarded, Lily happily walked back into the shadows. I turned to Reece and the others. ''Are you okay in this room?We''ll let you two stay for a while, but if you don''t like it, we''ll move you to another room. Thank you for your concern. I''m a helper and there''s nothing more selfish than that. I see. I draw the wise man''s sword on my back and thrust it at the floor. Amplifying my magic, I first welded the room. There we go. "Thank you. I''ll do it later. "Huh?Isn''t this warding to protect us at ......? Not exactly. Zella, could you give me a little bit of that water? "Let''s see. ...... Zella looked at her master Rietzsche for confirmation. What''s important, the lifeblood of the Lord. In a double sense, it was not her decision to make. When asked for permission, Rietzsche nodded quietly and Zella took out a canteen and handed it to me. I opened it and let a little drop of water drip onto the wise man''s sword. The droplets touched the sword and then floated up a bit, forming a ball in the air. Thank you. Return the canteen to Zera. Through the philosopher''s sword--the baboon hawk--he felt and remembered the power of the holy spring water. And what he remembered, he expanded his consciousness through the wise man''s sword. Through the ground, expanding consciousness. Looking for the same power--there it was. thicker than this water, more pure and uncluttered. I found such power of the earth. I make a tube in the ground that holds power. Like water and smell, power in most cases flows from a place where there is more and denser to a place where there is less and thinner. If you connect a channel of power underground, called a tube, the power flows through the tube into this room. The power of the spirit land that flows in is trapped in a ward and fills the room. Soon, the room was filled with a thick and unusual "power" that even I, who had nothing to do with it, could tell. Reece looks much more pale compared to earlier. On the other hand, you can''t believe what''s happened. This is ...... "I''ve drawn strength from the spirit land, I hope this is okay. "Yeah, yeah ...... I didn''t know you could do this ...... I never thought I''d live more than 200 years, and . Riette marveled. 126 04. Good people, communicating with the emperor The next morning, I woke up and got ready and went to the guest room. Conscious of the serenity, I knocked on the door and checked that the other side answered before entering the room. In the guest room, which had a completely different atmosphere from the hallway, were Reece and Zella. Good morning. How are you doing? When asked, Reece, looking much better than yesterday, replied: "Thank you, I feel as if I am in a country, a spiritual land. ''Thank you, I feel as if I am in a country, a spiritual land. "I''m glad to hear that. Let me know right away if you''re having any problems. I''ll do what I can. "Thank you. "Zella. ....... You can do whatever you need to do. "Wow, what a waste of words for someone like me. Since we were in a warded guest room and I was the only one who knew what was going on, I was the only one who knew what was going on. Zella was completely intimidated and probably behaved as a maid of honor in her original manner. Yes, but let me know if you need anything. You''re a valued customer of mine. "Yes ...... Zella blushes and slumps over. I said yes, but I should pay more attention to her because she tends to be shy in the end. Just when you were thinking that you should pay more attention to them than Reece did, there is a knock at the door of the guest room. Rietje and Zella, who had been calm, winced at the same time. "Who are you? "This is Eliza, "Yeah, come on in. I complied and Eliza came into the room. They were both relieved for a moment when they realized that she was a maid who knew what was going on, a maid who had been sent to run to contact the emperor yesterday, and a different kind of tension appeared on their faces. If the emperor doesn''t answer, the kingdom will be destroyed. You can''t help but be nervous when you think about it. On the other hand, I, who need not be nervous, turned to Eliza with a smile. "Good job, Eliza. What did Your Majesty say? "We received a verbal verbal statement only. "Oh. Good for you. Turn around and say to Reece and Zella. They look like foxes and nod their heads simultaneously. What do you mean, "good"? Riette, who had removed her armor and was wearing only her knight''s outer garment, asked back. "Your Majesty has only returned with a word of warning because he doesn''t want to leave any evidence. As Emperor of the Empire, if you are aware that there might be a formal rebellion and put something in writing, you will have to take formal action. "Ah, ...... Formality in this case is-- "Suppression at the Emperor''s Guard: ...... I nodded. Understandably, Reece understood. Yes, of course. The emperor couldn''t possibly have known about the rebellion and overlooked it. "Yes. . because that way you can end up with a verbal response and a no-said, no-said, watered-down version. That''s the master. Your Majesty said something like that. I smiled at Eliza with a smile. Eliza smiled back at me, too. Knowing Eliza''s identity, the exchange couldn''t have been any more heated, but it was surprisingly amusing, and we felt a sense of solidarity with each other, like we were complicit in something. "Your Majesty said a few words to all of this. "His Majesty had a few words for all of them. "Yeah, okay. "Thank you. I said "thank you" to Eliza, with some meaning. Eliza is a maid, but she''s the emperor of the empire. It''s quite nice to have the emperor''s complete trust in you. "So it''s better that I sneak into the kingdom and settle things quietly. I mean, it''s such a rebellion that the princess had to defect, so it can''t be completely stealthy. First, we have to find a good excuse to get into the kingdom. I''ll do some thinking and make up a story. Then I turned to the wise man''s sword for knowledge and asked him for possible props for the story. "Reece, I hear the kingdom is famous for its golden apples. "Yes, yes, you mean the golden apples that grow only in the sacred land of ...... and keep ripening on the trees until they are harvested. I nodded. She was right, the kingdom is famous throughout the world. Although she is 256 years old, she is about the same age as Eliza in appearance. Probably on the same principle as her youthful appearance, the apple tree in the mausoleum does not fall when it bears fruit. It grows on the branches and continues to ripen. A century-old golden apple would cost enough to buy a house. So what about it? I want to present His Majesty with golden apples. Since it''s valuable and I''m presenting it to His Majesty, I must go and get it myself. In a very deliberate way, both Reece and Zella immediately understood the meaning. The golden apple is the excuse to enter the kingdom. "That''s my master, that''s good for you, ....... Eliza opens her mouth. After lifting me up, she says to the emperor (herself) as if it were a matter of course. "What do you mean? His Majesty has another saying: "How could this happen? Bring me some golden apples. Bring me some golden apples. I see. Gazing at each other again with Eliza, another white-knuckle play, I felt a sense of complicity in this play. Nothing like this was ever going to happen, it was all an improvisation for the occasion. With Eliza''s help, I have an excuse to enter the kingdom. . Outside the guest room, Alec''s father and mother were holding cups against the wall. Trying to overhear the exchange in the room, the maid, who was formerly the head maid, asked with a troubled look on her face. ''Sir, do you hear that kind of thing?I''m told it''s warded. "Stupid question!No boundary is insurmountable with love for Alec. When it comes down to it, you can listen with your heart, not your ears. You''re not going to get another complicated look from Alec if you say that to me. Mmm, that''s not good. But that''s Alec. Well, you''re the only person in the whole world who could do that with you, Alec. After listening to the exchange between Alec and Eliza and knowing Eliza''s identity, they were both impressed. It''s a shame we can''t show this to the world! "All right. Sometimes this happens. Only we know of Alec''s exploits. It''s a perk. "Mm!That''s right too! The parents, as usual, were having a great time without Alec''s knowledge. 127 05. A good man completely deceives the enemy Inside the carriage on its way to the kingdom of Silvermoon. Eliza and I were the only two people in the carriage, which was being piloted by my magic. Eliza was dressed as a maid, and our seating order in the carriage was accordingly. When there are more than one person in a carriage, the seating arrangement changes depending on our status and relationship. Right now, I''m in the top seat and maid Eliza is in the bottom seat. When she''s a maid, Eliza is very thorough in these areas as well. "Are you sure about this, master? "What? Bring those two with you. When Eliza said that, I looked down at my feet. The interior of the carriage is a room, and therefore my shadow is only dimly visible. Reece and Zella are among them. I''m a little surprised you pointed that out. Frankly I was surprised. Whether Emperor Eliza or Maid Eliza "In times like these, you''re safest with me!I thought that was what you would say. It is. Eliza nodded in no time. That''s true. If you bring it that way, it''s ...... "Why don''t you come? I nodded my head, Eliza blushed and replied. If you bring her into the shadows, she''ll stay there, just like everyone else. ...... Eliza mumbles something inaudible, but I can''t hear her. I couldn''t hear it, but I didn''t dare to listen back. Not the emperor, not the maid. Eliza is a smart girl. At least. She''s the kind of girl who can say "what''s necessary" clearly. Since she doesn''t say it outright, I suppose it''s not necessary. It seems I was right, and in mere seconds, Eliza was staring at me with her usual expression, as if nothing had happened. "So, master, what do you want to do now? "Yeah, I''ll go get the golden apples first. Take? You can''t fool me if you don''t make a good show of it. That''s okay too. What can I do to help? * The Kingdom of Silvermoon, the Spiritual Land of Fragile. Although it is called the capital of the spiritual land, in reality it is only about the size of a large city in the countryside. You will find that you will be able to get a good deal more than you expected, and if you are a member of the empire, it''s not surprising that Reece thinks "we will never win against the empire". Outside the capital, a well-dressed group came out to greet us. About a hundred soldiers in the back, roughly twenty civilian officials in the middle, and a well-dressed but frail-looking middle-aged man in the front. I get out of the carriage, with Eliza in tow, and we walk toward them. When we are close enough to have a normal conversation, the middle-aged man kneels on the ground, following the imperial etiquette. "Aurora Silvermoon. I humbly request an audience with Your Imperial Highness. Following Aurora, the civilians and soldiers fell to their knees on the ground in a lump. The sight of more than a hundred people kneeling on the ground was quite spectacular. "Aurora, you mean you''re the king? "Yes. I see. Yeah, all right, just get up. You can''t talk to me like this. The king is a vassal state, and I am the Father of the Empire, a very high ranking person. Aurora took the usual vassal''s courtesy. "Before I came, I found out that you''ll be nine hundred years old this year, Aurora. "At the mercy of the Empire, we continue to live in the spirit land. I once again saw Aurora turning 900 years old. A middle-aged man who doesn''t look much older than 900 years old, just like Reece who is 256 years old and still looks like a girl. He''s royalty that lives in the spirit land, so he''s immortal, so he''s 900 years old and still looks middle-aged. Although she looks young, she looks weak and unreliable. "Have you read the letter yet? "Yes, I will take you to the golden apple tree. Yes, please. I nodded and returned to the carriage with Maid Eliza, who had not spoken a word during the conversation between Father and King. ""Ohhhh!" As I moved it around in the carriage, I heard a soldier-like cheer. What''s the matter with him? "You don''t normally see a carriage, Eliza explained to me. I see, so that''s why they were marveling. King Aurora and the civilians lead the way, escorted by soldiers. With that, they proceeded with the auto-carriage. Stars After traveling about 30 minutes or so on human legs, the carriage stopped. I opened the top and looked out. Oh. I couldn''t help but gasp in amazement. It was a fantastic beauty. A large tree with golden apples reflects the sun''s light and shines. No, this isn''t just a reflection, it''s emitting a radiance of its own. Yes, it was so beautiful and magical. You jump down from your carriage and speak to Aurora. "These are the golden apples. "Good-bye. It''s so beautiful, I almost feel guilty about taking it off. Are you sure about this? Of course, sir. I''d rather not have to ask Father of the Nation to carry it, just say the word. It is a gift for your Majesty, and I''m afraid I''ll have to do it myself. ...... Yes, may I sample one?It''s a bit scary to offer them without knowing the taste. "Of course. As soon as Aurora commanded, one of the officials went to the big tree to fetch some well-ripened golden apples. "You are more and more brilliant as you take them. "It is growing by the power of the spiritual ground, if it is a divine tree, so to speak. "I see. After Aurora answered, she turned to the civilian. With a practiced hand, the officer peeled an apple and placed it on a pre-prepared plate. Aurora took it and held it out to me with both hands. "Here you are, enjoy your meal. "Yeah, hey you. I turned and called Eliza, who followed me. I didn''t call her by name in front of Aurora and the others. "Try it. "I do, sir? Surprised Eliza. Yes. "Excuse me, Your Highness, why do you want to be a maid ......? "She is the closest person to His Majesty among my maids, and I think it''s no exaggeration to say that she knows His Majesty''s taste preferences better than anyone else in the world. "Was that so? So, yes, please. At my urging, Elisa put the apple in her mouth, making a face that I don''t understand her true intentions at the moment. "--! Instantly, his eyes widened in surprise. "Holy shit. "I don''t know, Your Majesty, do you like this apple? "Yeah!I''m sure you''ll love it. I see. That''s good to know. Eliza was seriously surprised. I was expecting these golden apples to be extremely delicious, but they far exceeded my expectations. For a moment, my emotions leaked out honestly, and I''m sure I didn''t lie or make it up. I saw those golden apples, saw the big tree, and saw the aurora borealis. What''s wrong with you? Can I have another one? "Okay, hey-- "No, I''ll do it myself. Stopped the civilian who was about to move at the command of Aurora and approached the big tree by himself. Then he placed the bag he had prepared beforehand over an affordable apple. The golden glow is wrapped in the bag and disappears. "Father, you don''t need to do that to keep the golden apples free of worms. A slightly condescending tone of voice came from one of the officials. I could vaguely sense that he was going to demonstrate some farming techniques the kid learned on the job. I didn''t answer and waited a bit. I waited for about three minutes, then I took the bag and scooped an apple. Then I peeled it with my hands and put it on a plate. Here you go. She offered it to Elisa again, and she slapped her cheek with a slap. I know how good it tastes, and this time I won''t show you my unpleasantness," she said with enthusiasm. But. Ohhhh. ...... The moment she ate the apple, Eliza''s eyes went slack-jawed. She slumped down with an ecstatic expression on her face. What is this? "The king should try it too. With that, he offers Aurora an apple as well. As she sips the dreaded apple, Aurora is equally ecstatic and elated. An even more limited application of the storage bag, the fertilizer bag. If you set a person without magic power as the owner, time will flow faster inside the bag than outside, and things will decay at super speed. But the golden apple that takes root in the spiritual land will not decay. The faster it accelerates, the more it ripens. That''s why the king sent me here. I said that to Aurora and the others. . Spiritual land of Fragile, a certain place. The two men who were face to face with each other had a look of relief on their faces. "I wasn''t sure what to expect at first. "Hmm, I didn''t know that Alexander Carlyle was coming. I thought he''d find out about our plans. But those apples were so delicious. That preparation, I really think they just came to get apples for the emperor. "You can have all the apples you want, and we''ll let you go home in a good mood. Oh, in the meantime, let''s get ready for the enactment. The two men nodded at each other. They let their guard down as Alec showed off his super-speed ripening of the golden apples. That''s exactly what Alec wanted, and they''re just lying completely in the palm of their hands. They were completely unaware of it. 128 06. The Good Man Encourages Civil War At night, the guest house of the kingdom. In front of a building with less glamour than the Imperial one, but with more history and charm, two groups of people are facing each other. One of them is facing the guesthouse, the one about to come. About a dozen beautiful women in veils, led by a minister of the kingdom and escorted by soldiers. On the other side is a maid with only one. The Father''s maid Eliza, who would make everyone here wince if they knew who she was. Eliza looked at the minister coldly. ''I understand. I see that you have brought these women with you on your master''s nightly errand. I fear I may be of some help to His Imperial Highness'' weariness. Yes, take me home. "It''s ...... The master doesn''t like it. You don''t know that every time the nobles tried to send their daughters to you, you were turned away from them. At Eliza''s words, the minister gasped. "That''s not, no, rumor is-- The master hates that sort of thing. I''ll let you through, but I don''t guarantee you''ll get out of here with your head still attached. "...... The Lost Minister. Eliza cleared the way, but he was unsure if he should continue on his way. He was lost for a long time and then said. "I''m sorry to bother you. What I''m doing tonight is-- I''ll just pretend it never happened. Oh, the master is a normal maid, ask him yourself in the daytime. With that, Eliza went back inside the guest house. She left the minister there, who scowled as he tried to grasp the meaning of his words. While I was relaxing in the room, Eliza came back in from outside. Her eyebrows are nicely furrowed, and she''s in a bit of a bad mood. Good night. What are you up to, Eliza? "It''s nothing. "That''s not an innocent look. What was that? He sent the ...... woman. It''s disgusting that you know from rumors how much Master cares for Master Angier. Eliza reveals her anger to the point of puffing out her cheeks. I''m interested in talking about this area at length. Maid Eliza, Angel, whom she calls "Angel-sama," is actually a sister-in-law. You''ll be able to find out what''s going on in the world, and you''ll be able to find out what''s going on in the world. I''m curious to know how you actually feel about this complicated relationship. I thought it might be interesting to know if there might be a dual personality. Of course I can''t ask now. I''m not in a position to get into any details. It''s because in the corner of the room are Reece and Zella, two outsiders. So I just say my compliments to Maid Eliza. Thank you Eliza. I''m so glad you''re here. As a master''s maid, it''s only natural. "But thank you. Well, I decided to resume the conversation that was interrupted by the arrival of a visitor and Eliza''s answering. An ordinary maid wouldn''t have to stop, but I decided to stop it so that Eliza, who has a direct line to the Emperor Eliza, could hear it too. What to do now, but first I want to get her to revolt. "Nah! Gah!And Reece stood up, knocking over a chair. To the Empire then! "I''m sorry I didn''t say that. I meant to say that I wanted to bring about a civil war in the kingdom. "No, Ran? The momentum has been squeezed out, and Reece just nodded his head. ''''Yeah. If it''s a rebellion against the empire, the empire will have to put down the rebellion, but if it''s a civil war within the kingdom, the kingdom will take care of it on its own. "...... ah. Apparently. Just as I was about to say, a girl landed from the ceiling with a stutter. Among the girls who live in my shadow, only one who is not a maid is human. A girl with the evil eye, an assassin who once lived in the dark. Dorothy. She came back at a very good time. "What''s up, Dorothy? He said he had all the weapons and food, and that he would move forward if he knew where the princess was. "I see, thank you Dorothy. Hmm. Dorothy''s cheeks flushed slightly and she cut the shadow with her dagger and went back into my shadow again. "What was that? We''ve been unleashing a secret agent by the other side. Apparently, the rebellion is in a state of flux, where they can''t stop firing their arrows for the bow. "...... Reece to fall silent. She blows her lower lip and looks chagrined. Not so much because I was expecting this situation, but Reece looks annoyed. "So I just want to blow things up as a civil war in the kingdom to vent and land somewhere safe. A civil war, after it''s put down, His Majesty won''t get involved, and you guys can decide what to do with the people who caused it. "...... Got it. After a bit of hesitation, Reece nodded with a bitter face, realizing that she had no choice. "So, I stared more at Riette. She looked more serious than ever. "Hang on for a while, "Huh? "What are you talking about? Reece becomes stunned. Zella stands up to take her place. Because in a way, my words sounded like "Sorry, go die" (). Of course, I didn''t mean that. . The next day, outside the royal city . The same Alec''s carriage, with the king, civil servants and soldiers lined up in front of it, the same as when I came. "You''ve been good to me. From the top of an auto-carriage, Alec congratulated the king. Not only did you get an apple, but you got a soldier as your bodyguard. "Nothing is better than the safety of your father. The king replies with a low profile. On the king''s orders, dozens of soldiers are escorting Alec''s carriage alongside his own. These are the soldiers who were sent to escort you to the empire until you present the emperor with an apple. Thank you, then. Alec raised his hand, turned his carriage around, and left the capital. Just because Alec left doesn''t mean the king can''t turn back immediately. As a man of your country, it is polite to see Alec off until he is gone. And so I saw the carriage and the soldiers off. "Your Majesty! A man who looked like a military officer came running out from inside the capital. He stopped by the king, sweating and looking like he was in some kind of hurry. "What''s the matter? "The princess caught the ...... princess. "Really? The king''s expression changes drastically. The civil servants around him are also buzzing. A military officer turns around. Out of the corner of your eye, tied behind her back, taken out of the royal city is unmistakably this country''s princess. It was Riette Silvermoon herself. The king and the officials. The king and the civil servants were elated. Far away from the capital, he and Elisa watched in hiding as Reece was dragged before the king. ''What''s that?'' "Now the real Princess Reece What about now? Eliza, the bright one, took me up on my words right away. "Yes, for now. It''s a human-like homunculus with the soul of Princess Rietzsche in it. So the real thing . . and when the time comes, if the spirit comes back to you . "Yes, it would be a bright red counterfeit called a homunculus. Eliza''s dialogues connected to my words like a relay in no time. When Eliza and I took turns talking to each other, she looked incredibly impressed. It''s as good as it gets, only the master can make a ''fake real thing'' like that. Thank you. "Where''s the carriage over there? "I have Amelia pretend to be me, and I magically make her look like me on the outside. I told her to be me on the road, to get into some cases and help people along the way. "So the guards of the kingdom will be the pigeons. That kind of thing. Homunculus Rachel being abused by her father, the king . My carriage leaving guarded by a guard with bells. Now the terms are met. The kingdom should feel safe enough to start a revolt. The only thing left to do is to hold them back in the kingdom. 129 07. The Good Man Minimages About half a day''s walk from the sacred land of Fragile, an empty grassland . Here, where the army always passes when the kingdom revolts against the empire, I have built a temporary house of one house. A one-bedroom house made of materials from a bag of materials. The atmosphere is that of a tent, but the feeling of actually living in it is that of a private house. In the living room of such a house, I was relaxing at the service of Eliza the maid. Here you are. With a start, Dorothy jumped down from the ceiling. I looked up at the ceiling of the house I had just built. I don''t see any holes or anything. It''s not. Strange. Eliza and I were craning our necks while serving. "Report. Dorothy reports in a voice that sounds like a ninja of old, with movements and calmness that reminds her of the old days. "Ride for the kingdom, three thousand. They''re coming our way. I see, so this is the way to get to the Empire. Thank you, Dorothy. You''ve been very helpful. "...... Dorothy slipped back into the shadows again, silently but happily, her cheeks tinged with happiness. Zella. A quiet voice calls Zella. She was in the back room. She is sitting beside the bed, watching over Rietje''s body as she lies on it with a worried look on her face. Ever since Rietje''s soul entered the homunculus'' grasp, Zera has been watching over the Lord''s body like this. What is it? What do you think about the number 3000? What do you mean? Zella nodded her head. ''Master, perhaps the question should be more straightforward. I see. I was a little bit lazy, because this would work with Eliza. "What percentage of the rebels do you think 3,000 will be? "I think it''s almost . I think we left about a thousand people in the mausoleum. "I see. That means the full force. Yes, just in case. Eliza, how about 3,000 rebels from the Empire? This time it''s Eliza herself, so I''m a little sidetracked again. I think we can handle it on our own. "I see. It''s not even an enemy. So Rietzsche''s fears were right. With such a gap in strength, the Empire would have been justified in fighting back and then destroying them. We must stop them here. I got up and went outside. Far away on the wind-whipped grassland, I saw something moving at a wriggling level. "Is that the insurgent? "What to do, master?Will you take it down? "Me? "Yes, master can do it. ...... Can''t you? I could, but that''s not possible. You can''t have a clear indication that Father Alexander intervened. Let''s just go with it. "It''s Eliza who has to work hard at it, though? "I think I''ll say fine--I''ll say fine. I''m not so sure about that, but I pulled out my wise man''s sword and released it. "Three thousand people, ...... is a bit of a pain in the ass. I think the master can afford it. Eliza, looking at me and stating that. She really seems to think so, and she also seems to encourage me. I can''t let her see me be uncool. I thrust the wise man''s sword into the ground and amplify the magic. Stop the auto-magic trek (...) and transfer all your magic to me. Magic power began to diffuse through the baboons and rainbow-colored light. ...... mmm. Human thoughts came pouring in, heavy. It felt as if the hot air covered your whole body. You guide that thought and rewrite yet another counterpart''s thought. Not to rewrite the completely improbable and unthinkable, but to guide the thought to the "possible" direction. I did it one by one, one by three thousand people, one by one. I got used to it and started to guide two people at a time. The load became a little heavy, but it''s within acceptable limits. As a result of guiding the thoughts collectively, the whole thing was done in about an hour. Fufu...... I put my hands on the wise man''s sword, resting my weight on it and breathing. Good night, master. Gently, from next to me, a cold hand towel was offered. Maid Eliza''s work was always perfect, and this hand towel was just the right amount of cold. Thank you, that''s a relief. "Master, what did you do? Eliza looked at me and saw the distance. The advancing insurgents are gradually moving away from me in the distance-- I found myself pulling back. "Kind of rewrote my thinking. Like back to the spirit land of Brangila. I see, you''ve made it the capital of the Empire. "Not exactly. That will be hard later on. If everyone says, ''We were going to invade the imperial capital,'' then His Majesty will have a hard time dealing with it. "...... Yes, Then?Eliza looks at me with "I did a little thought. Actually, the people who remained in the mausoleum were Rietzscheans who looked up to the Princess Rietzsche in their grasp. I know. "Wow, common Right. Then we have to turn back and secure the sacred ground because we don''t want the Rietzscheans to take our rear and home base. "It''s going to be a civil war. "Yes. "That''s my master. Now we just need 3,000 attackers and 1,000 defenders. If they both get wiped out in a double defeat, so much the better. "It was a little thought-provoking there too, What do you mean? "It''s like, ''Even though I''m a Rietzschean, I''m a fellow countryman, so I have to fight to avoid killing as much as possible,'' "Go easy on me?Why If they''re wiped out, that''s it, there''s no way they won''t create a new rebel army. Then I''ll need you to slow me down by 4,000 men. I know, you''re a wounded soldier and you need someone to patch you up. We don''t need to do anything beyond that. I nodded and complied. Wow, ...... I didn''t know you had thought that far ahead. That''s what master does. This will lead to a civil war in the kingdom that will slow us down a lot, as planned. I just hope that''s the end of the story. 130 08. Good people, double push for obstacles Far from the Kingdom of Silvermoon . Across the empire, on the other side of the continent, is Mount Ichichi. I was fighting that mountain. As I was flying through the air, an arm that appeared to deform part of the mountain came at me with pressure. Wielding a wise man''s sword, I met it head on. An eardrum-breaking explosion rang out, and a shockwave warped the sky (). It''s not just a matter of time before you get your hands on a new one. ...... "You are known as a ''mountain eater''. I am impressed. A pain dragon, that''s the name of the enemy in front of me, the information I got from the wise man''s sword. It was a serpent the size of a man in its original form, but its body was so elastic that it could swallow a mountain as it stretched and stretched and stretched. The creature would eat the mountain and then sit still for several hundred years to digest it. Now we want that skin. The pain dragons are attacking us more. The ground you can see on the mountain - the skin is punched and punched, and then bigger balls of venom than a man are poured out of it. Use your wise man''s sword to block and drive them away. Wow! The wise man''s sword didn''t flinch because it was made of baboons, but as he struck it off, only a drop of the poisonous liquid splashed on his body. In no time at all, my clothes dissolved, and in less than a second, the poison had spread and half of my clothes were melted. I quickly threw off my clothes and instantly made new ones from the bag of materials and put them on. That''s a hell of a poison, and you''re not just going to get away with it if you touch it. I put up a stronger anti-physical barrier to increase the magic power. As he did so, he raised his wise men''s sword and fought the pain dragon that had transformed into the mountain itself. It transformed and stretched, striking like an arm. A bit weaker in momentum than before, this one worked. I didn''t even come head to head with it. You take the wise man''s sword and swiftly enter his bosom, swiping the blade at an angle to catch it (). Flash! The wise man''s sword was slashed off with a single character right beside him, an arm about twenty meters in diameter. The sliced arm quickly shrank. It spat out earth, rocks, and tree roots, and as if its previous size was a lie, it turned into a skin the size of a human finger. The body of a pain dragon, its skin stretched out like crazy. This is what I''m looking for, this is what I came here for. Almost there. Paindragon''s outstretched skin was tucked away in the material bag, and once again he faced the mountain, holding the sword of the wise man at the ready. Fragile, watching the wagons going into the sacred ground, from a distance. "My lord, A little diagonally behind me came a maid, Elisa, who is also the emperor, acting as a maid. She is also an emperor, and while acting as a maid, she asked me what I was wondering. What is that?It''s what the master spent the night making. "It''s a pill, it''s a wound. "Scar? Eliza tilting her head. "Yes, the salve. I sent it not to the defending spirit land side, but to the attacking ''rebel'' side as well. "It''s poisonous. Yes, it''s the right medicine, it works great. "Haha. ...... The Elisa tilts her head. You don''t understand why I''ve sent you a salve that will do wonders for both armies. I''ve decided to explain to her. I asked Dorothy to look into it, and she said that my hypnotic spell has been working very well, and that both armies have been suffering a lot of injuries at the same time, mostly between minor and major. That''s a lot of work for ....... Eliza arched an eyebrow. The emperor Eliza has been educated and studied to be able to make some military decisions. The most troublesome part of the army is the one between light and serious wounds. If they are lightly wounded, you can treat them and let them fight, and if they are seriously wounded, you can cut them down. It''s sad. I''ve heard that sometimes you have to make a choice between those who can be cured and those who can''t. I nodded. "Between a minor injury and a major one. I can''t cut it down, but it would take time and manpower to heal it. I understand that this would accelerate the decline in strength - but why did you send the medicine?And what works well. "Good medicine is bitter to the mouth "Huh? That stuff works really well, but it really amplifies the pain. Did Eliza ever have a sore spot when she scraped it off? There is. "A pill that makes the pain 100 times greater than it''s ...... no, about 10,000 times greater. "Uhehee: ...... Eliza was horrified. It''s a horrible potion that I can only imagine, and I shuddered a little bit when I made it. "If it hurts that bad, you''re going to go wild, and if you go wild-- "I see!People who help or fix things get hurt too. That kind of thing. Smiling at me. I sent the medicine to both of them, with the voluntary help of the people of the kingdom--and so on. It will make the wounded flail in pain, but it works so well, you''ll have to use it. This will further reduce both of our forces. Great job, master. Amazing that you can choke it out with one move. Eliza was incredibly impressed. She looked seriously impressed, more than usual. Maybe it''ll work. Now, let''s finish up. 131 09. Making the Good Man, the Savior Spiritual Land of Fragile. Eliza and I disguised ourselves a bit and snuck into the capital of the kingdom. We were both dressed like ordinary travelers, in the daytime, in the middle of a civil war, in a tavern with no other customers. It''s a nice country, calm and serene, with a different atmosphere than the Empire. It would be a shame to kill it. Eliza in disguise as well. She''s now not a maid, but the emperor''s burglar mode. Hence the frankness with which she speaks to me. "Yes, We didn''t clamp down on them just because they were a part of our country, and yet we still had a revolt. "It happens when you get rid of the constrictions. You shouldn''t worry too much about it. ...... Right. Eliza sighed and smiled sadly. As I said before, it''s not Eliza''s fault that there was a rebellion this time. When Eliza loosened the pressure exerted by the former emperor, the previously oppressed kingdom wanted to take revenge for years and was ready to revolt. Eliza shouldn''t be worried about it, rather. Eliza should be more proud of herself for daring to settle a matter that a politician would have postponed ninety-nine percent of the time. "Yeah, yeah, ...... thanks. Her expression changed, her cheeks flushed and she looked embarrassed. Eliza squirmed and turned to search for words to say something. There she is. "YEAH! The man''s scream was deafening and resounded. Eliza returned to a crisp expression in an instant. You stand up with a clatter of chairs. Oh, that''s okay, sir. The tavern''s flagship girl, who was cleaning the store in the daytime when there was no one else in the bar, said as if she was used to it, to quiet Eliza. ''What is this scream? There are some very effective wound medicines on the market these days. It hurts so much to heal a wound with that, it makes you scream like you are in pain. "Yeah. But if it hurts so much that it makes you scream, you shouldn''t be using it. "It doesn''t work that way. As a salve, it works like a charm. People who had their eyes pierced with arrows can see again and people whose hands were cut clean off have their hands back together. That''s great. It''s worth it, even if it hurts to death. After a briefing, the sign girl went back to cleaning, seeing that Eliza had sat down again. When she sat back down, Eliza looked straight at me. You''re good. I just said, "Well, let''s get to the next step. "Well, I guess we''re ready to move on. What to do? Once I saw the sign girl pulled back into the back of the store, I used my magic. I held my hand out to the side and drew a magic circle. I put my hand in the glowing circle and pulled. Out of the magic circle came Riette with her eyes closed. The real one? "The real one. Nodding Me. Now Rietje is holding on to the kingdom. There''s a homunculus I made, with Reece''s own soul in it. Now here is Rietje''s original body. I used Herschel''s secret recipe to cast more magic. A glowing object came flying in from outside the store and entered Reece''s body nonstop. After a while, Reece slowly opens her eyes. Here is ...... Can you understand me? ...... Yes, that means this is my? "Yeah, the original body "Well? "Yeah, just give me a listen. Reece nodded honestly, and I nodded my ear and told him what to do next. Reece walking alone on the streets of the spiritual land. In the shadow of Reece, Eliza and I were in her shadow. It was the first time I stepped into someone else''s shadow, but it was a strange and fluffy sensation, like being in water where I could breathe. ...... hmmm "What''s up, Eliza? "No, it''s just that I''m not like in your shadow. "In my shadow? "Yeah, I don''t feel any better. ...... No, it''s nothing. "Hmm? I was about to say something, and then I''d have to keep my mouth shut. I kind of know what you''re going to say, but I''m not going to get into it. I looked up. I shifted my posture and looked upward, feeling like I was drifting in the water. I saw Rietje crawling along. People around me were surprised to see Rietzsche. Some of them ran somewhere in a hurry. I think they know Reece has been caught. I guess so. Ignoring the inhabitants, who probably ran to report or snitch or something, Reece proceeded further. After a while, they came in front of a large building. It''s a hospital with a unique smell and air. You can hear it sometimes in the city, but when you come to the front of the hospital, the anguish and screams are even louder. Regardless, Reece walked into the hospital. It was full of soldiers. Wounded soldiers were being treated with the medicine I had made and sent long way back. The medicine worked well, but it made the pain worse. Because of this, it was a strange hellscape of a wartime hospital that didn''t have the smell of "death" at all, but there were more screams than that. Rietzsche quickly approached one of the soldiers, who was fainting from the pain and was still jittery and twitching. She crouched down next to the soldier and applied another potion she had taken out. I found her and said. "Hey there, you, what are you doing, don''t touch anything! Another soldier, who was not injured at all, snuck up on him. He approached Riette and grabbed her by the shoulders to get her off him. Hi, Princess! Knowing Riette''s face, the soldiers were astonished at her appearance. The surprise quickly spread like water. "The princess? It''s true, it''s Master Riette. "Nonsense, Master Rietzsche has you in his grasp! Doubtful voices came from all over. Regardless, Riette approached another soldier writhing in pain and used the drug on him again. Huh?Doesn''t it hurt?The pain is gone! A soldier who was conscious and writhing in pain just before suddenly started to ping. The drug Riette had used had caused a different kind of surprise and commotion, and it was spreading more rapidly than before. A different surprise and commotion spread with even greater force than before. Meanwhile, Reece was quietly going around to stop the soldier''s pain. "That''s what Alec gave you, right? In the shadows. Eliza asked about the drug Reece used. "Yes, What kind of stuff? Simply put, it''s a painkiller. That drug will only stop the pain from being amplified. "You''ve been making that stuff? "Yes. As I was explaining to Eliza, the painkillers began to take effect. "Hey!I''m told it can stop the pain. "Dear Reece!This one too, please! Soldiers flocked to Rietje. They worshipped Rietzsche, as if he had appeared to them as their savior, asking for help. "Good, now the soldiers lean toward Rietzsche. Yes, a savior to help the weakened soldiers on both sides. Soldiers will flow to her as she gathers them. You''re the man. I was thinking about this when I made the serum. You have to think two or three moves ahead for this kind of thing. In the shadows, Eliza was increasingly impressed. Don''t be fooled! Outside, things were going differently from the flow. A soldier stood up and shot an angry look at Reece. Shouting at Reece, who is now a savior, all eyes in the hospital were on the soldier. This!You made it up! I was buzzing around. A natural suspicion, and I definitely expected someone to doubt it. So when I whispered to Rietje, I also told her what to do. Rietzsche sounded quiet and calm. "When you say you staged it, are you saying that I ''made a pill that cures you but makes you hurt worse''? "Ah! Why bother with it?I can''t make a pill after I''ve been grabbed and it doesn''t make sense. "Ugh. Further, the buzz . For a moment, the air of suspicion directed at Riette was blown away. Surely the princess was right. I would make poison. "I know. In the midst of the hubbub, Reece picked up a wound - the first one I made for increased pain. The hospital had a bunch of them, and Reece took them. "This is something I made a long time ago. The buzz is spreading, and now it''s a mess. It''s an unfinished object that has been stopped in its tracks. "What, why would such a Another soldier who was closest to me asked timidly. That''s because it''s going to take some work to complete. Riette said and scratched her palm with her fingernails. Red blood flowed from the deep scratches. Rietje rubbed the blood into the wound, mixing it with the one that caused the pain. The medicine glows, the blood blends in, turns into something else. The one Rietje had brought in, turned into a painless salve. Rietzsche applies it to the soldiers in the healing room nearby. It''s all better!And it won''t hurt ......! " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " Cheers filled the whole hospital. "I couldn''t make a lot of things like this, that would be completed by mixing my blood. Instead, I made a lot of last minute ingredients and stored them so that I could take them out and use them when I needed them. "I see. "It''s like a tea, you make it, store it, brew it with hot water and drink it. "You''re being rude! "But you''re right. People began to understand. I was holding on to it, so it was taken out unfinished. ""Uh, ......" More and more, the soldiers were convinced. Reece looked straight at them. Well, I came to take the blame. One by one, the soldiers were convinced. In the hospital, the air of doubt about Rietzsche disappeared completely, without a trace. Seeing this, Eliza. Did you think all this through and let them catch her? "Yeah, I''d better read two or three moves ahead. Like the wise man''s sword said. I chuckle. It''s the kind of knowledge I''d rather not admit. Apparently, when people make things too complicated, they think the last thing they agree on is the truth. You''re right. Eliza readily admits it. Maybe she, the emperor, realizes it. Thus, Rietje, who had been in his grasp, descended as a savior. The wounded soldiers of both armies quickly began to unite around Reece. 132 10. Good people, good conduct is on strike Spiritual land of Fragile, under the golden apple tree. I was alone with Riette, the queen who withdrew all her men because it was a top secret story. Thank you. After the last lone soldier was gone, Reece bowed deeply to me. It had been a month since Rietje had stood up. I stayed in the kingdom, but remained silent and did nothing. After Rietzsche stood up as a savior and a symbol, things quickly fell into place. The people are honest by nature. There''s no need to actively change their situation as long as they can improve their lives. After Eliza''s accession to the throne, the lives of the kingdom''s people have improved greatly. So while the kingdom''s royalty had the strength to rebel for the sake of tradition and pride, there is little reason for the people to follow suit. Kings who wage war for the lives of their soldiers and people as chips. A princess trying to save the lives of her soldiers and her people to keep her life. It''s as clear as day which side the people are on, and most supported Rietzsche. Is the country ready? "Yes, your father has been asked to retire. The same is true for the other royalty. I see. That''s good to know. How can I really thank you ...... Riette''s expression was dull. "Is there still something to be worried about? No, that''s not what I meant. I really didn''t think there was any way to thank you. Reece repeated the same words twice, and I nodded my head. "What does that mean? Thanks to you, the damage is less than a ten-thousandth of what it would have been if you had revolted against the Empire. That''s a good thing. The lives saved are too numerous to count. There is nothing that can repay it in return. "Don''t worry about it. It''s enough to save my people. "Yes ...... Riette remained dull. I wonder if she is a responsible person, if I don''t let her do something, she might keep worrying about it. However, I think that the "thank you" has already been more than enough for me. I don''t know what to do. "Master, may I? "Yeah, what is it, Eliza? With my permission, the maid Eliza came out of the shadows. I have a proposal. "Suggestions to me?Or to her? "It''s both. I see. Tell me then. With permission and urging, Eliza first turned to Reece. I think you can thank your master yourself. "Me, is it? "Yes, of course, in a general sense. Eliza said, and Reece blushed. Myself is a thank you, the general meaning. The body is a thank you. Rietje recognized that correctly, and that made her blush. I watched it all happen with a wry smile. "I''ve thought about it, but I''m so grateful that one of my bodies wouldn''t be enough. "You are now a queen, and if the queen is as good as a latch (), you are worthy. Eliza''s words made me laugh harder and harder. There is no one in the world who can say that theory more convincingly than she can. But ...... "Is? Reece glanced at me and said, "I hear guys like young girls. "I hear guys like young girls. ...... was. Eliza rolled her eyes as if she was momentarily struck dumbfounded. Riette''s real age. Her words reminded me of that. I''d kind of forgotten about it too. The blood of royalty that keeps her young with the power of the spirit land, the blessings of which keep her young, but she is a girl of 256 years of age. She''s even older than me who has memories of my previous life. I''ve been holed up in the spirit land for so long that I''m naive. I''m 256 years old but I''m naive and have no experience or knowledge of such things. I don''t have any experience or knowledge of such things at ....... Riette sinking. Before I knew it, the reason for worrying had turned into a question of my worth. Eliza glanced at me, glanced over. We''ve made our way, now all that''s left is to finish. That''s what it felt like to be told. I wondered if I could thank you myself for that. Right now, I need to reassure Riette first. "Reece. "Yes, yes "Reece is a fascinating person, "Huh? When I''m a little older, could you do me a favor? "--Yes! Reece, who had been troubled and depressed a moment ago, changed and looked extremely happy. It''s just me and Eliza in the carriage returning to the Carlisle mansion. Because of the kingdom, Eliza is not a maid, she''ll be returning to the capital on her feet. Therefore, her tone and speech were that of a lurking emperor. I wonder if we''ll see more of this Silvermoon stuff. What does that mean? "There are still a number of vassals around, "Come to think of it, When it all comes down to Alec, at least for as long as he''s alive, there will be peace. It didn''t fall on me, did it? "A woman who screwed up her purity for 256 years, I''m sure she''s going to be in love with her first man her whole life. I guess that''s just the way it is. I don''t know what women are thinking, but-- That''s just the way it is. I see. It would be great if you could make all the rest of the gentry into Alec''s. Okay, I see what you mean. I see what you mean, Eliza. Certainly, there is a good chance that this will happen in other countries. That''s what you want me to do. Well, I''m going to do it without being told by Eliza. Rietzsche said, the damage was reduced to less than 1/10,000th of what it would have been if I had intervened. If that''s what I''m going to do when I intervene, then I''ll do it for the other kingdoms when the time comes. I''m counting on you. Yeah, I got it. Eliza blushed for a moment. ''It''s going to be tough after that, but I''ll see what I can do now. "Hardly what? Like Rietzsche. I can''t find a reward for Alec for placating his entire nation. Unlike Reece''s "thank you", the natural "reward" can only come from the Emperor Elisa, but the story is the same. Never mind that. Wow, you''re going to have to give me away. "I''m too afraid to deal with the Emperor. "...... could have been better. Eliza mumbled something, but it was lost to the sound of the wheels. I was about to ask her what she said. A light flooded before your eyes and filled the carriage. What the hell! "Eliza!Back in my shadow! Someone was attacking us. Guessing that, I decided to hide Eliza in the safest place. Eliza obeyed and stepped into my shadow. I put my hand on the wise man''s sword and get into a position to strike back at any moment. After a moment, the light subsided. "Huh?Angel-sama. In front of me was the angel who was involved in my rebirth and when I became a goddess. She was sitting across from me in the carriage with a very confused look on her face. What''s the matter? I''ve come to do you a favor. "What?I''ll help you in any way I can, okay? I don''t know what you''re talking about, but the look on her face is not just a thing . A man in trouble (an angel) cannot be overlooked. "Will you die now? "Huh? I''m stunned by the suddenness of it all. "Die Now" ...... why? "Or do something bad. . or worse. Can you tell me why? You just saved tens of thousands of lives. That''s a hell of a good deed. "Yes. The angel who talks about it as if it were a bad thing. What do you mean. "At this rate, you''ll be judged hard after you die. There''s nothing more to give in the next life. Even God isn''t enough. Creation....no, not that one. Shaking my head angel. I was just about to say something terrible, you know, with a face like that. You can''t do this. The world," the angel murmured in a mosquito-like voice, "and then the world. "So die now or live your life according to your desires to the point of drowning out your good deeds. After much pleading, I finally understand what you''re saying. This is going to be a hell of a ride. 133 01. The Good Man Overcomes Gods Punishment One by one, one by one, they come out of my shadow and go out of the carriage. Dorothy and the maids, the ones who live in my shadow. If I stay in the shadows, I can hear their conversations, so I asked them to leave - and I exorcised them. Incidentally, no one was surprised by the presence of the angel in front of me. I''m familiar with angels from Azazel and Markosias, and I know that even the goddess Astaroth is following me. So, the exorcism went well ....... Eliza, too. The last one, Eliza, was the only one who did not leave the carriage. I''m here. "But ...... The Emperor, albeit a burglar There are quite a few cases where Eliza''s words are not literal, and that''s the case now. I''m not a maid now, so I don''t take orders. Eliza insists on it. "What do I do? I turned to the angel and asked for his opinion. Right after talking to Eliza, I sometimes fall short on words too, so I hastily added: "Would it be okay if Eliza were with you? "Is it okay if Eliza is with you? "...... Okay. And the empire can''t be unrelated. After a bit of a stumble, the angel reluctantly accepted. When the exorcism was practically over, I asked the angel again. Why do I have to die? Because at thirteen years of age, I''m beyond my previous life. The angel spoke up with a pained look on his face. If a human is born human, the judging goes back to a neutral D grade. "Mmm-hmm. It''s the same for you, whether you''re SSS-rated or born a human being, you get a D with absolutely no judgmental minutes. That''s when you don''t have to do anything, and then the next time you''re born human, you''re born human, but some times you''re born to an animal--oh, I know, if you''re born human. The angel nodded quietly. "We have to reincarnate the animal several times as a punishment, but when we do that, we inscribe a negative amount into the soul beforehand when we judge it. That''s what it''s supposed to be. The heavenly realm, and the system of reincarnation. There are still a lot of rules that I don''t know about and my curiosity about figuring them out someday raised my head. Of course, I have to take care of myself first. But I got D and you''ve surpassed the previous thirteen years of your life and become SSS. Of course, after all that Alec has done, it''s not surprising. Eliza said in a slightly half-intimidating tone. It makes me a little embarrassed. The angel went on - it was like he didn''t care about my shame play. "How far will you go when you''re 13 years old? So, I see. Of course, if you die now, you''ll have the SSS rank and you can become a god. If you still want to be human, I''ll help you reincarnate as much as I can so that your life will be like this one. "Yes. Of course it would be nice to do something different to offset that, but it''s just not possible with ....... I chuckled. "I don''t think I''d be willing to do anything bad. "It doesn''t have to be a bad thing!Like her father, the previous emperor, for example. "You''re just a bunch of drunkard''s wastes. Eliza answered very simply. She gave a rough summary of what the former emperor had done. I will!I will of course assist in place of the meter so as not to overdo it. For example ...... so!If you keep going the way you are, you can build a harem of 10,000 people, and when you get bored of it, you can litter it like a toy and still be born into a C-rated middle-class family next time. "A harem unlike any other in history. The largest harem in the empire had 3,000 members. And that''s including all the handmaids and laundresses. That''s right. How many days would it take to have 3,000 people? I chuckled. I''m a guy too, so I don''t deny the desire for a harem, but 3,000 people is a little different in many ways. I''ll do anything!If you can''t do bad things, then I''ll give you the character to do those things! "Character? "Yes!I''ll give you a drink at rebirth-- "Oh, erase the memory Nodding angel . After the doomsday examination, just before the reincarnation, he is given a memory-erasing potion. It will make him redundant and he''ll be reborn. I see. It changes your personality. "Yes!So ...... please! An angel approaches me with a terrific sword. I''ll do everything I can to make your wish come true, but... I''m sorry. "Huh? "I don''t want to die now or change my personality, "But! "There''s more I want to do (), so I''ll get on with my life now, no matter what. "No, no, you can''t say that! "Huh? The angel got up in a hurry. In the cramped carriage, I hit my head. But she ignored the pain and stared at me with desperate eyes and said, "I know you care. "I know you care, You do. The brilliant Eliza, who was in attendance, noticed this. She said the angel was staring at me and wondering about the sky. What''s up with--. Ah! An angel letting out a scream-like voice. I knew right away that something was wrong. The normally gloomy interior of the carriage became darker. It was as if a passing shower had suddenly arrived. Run! An angelic warning, but it was already too late. In the darkened carriage, I was only brightly illuminated. Through the ceiling and down from the sky--a single ray of light falling on me with pinpoint accuracy. "Run, both of you! Draw the sword of the wise men, slash the carriage. Flings the angel and Eliza out of the dismembered chariot. "--! Immediately afterwards, the impact goes through the body. A jolt that blurs your vision in front of you goes through your whole body. And then the pressure. A tremendous pressure from the sky washed over me. It didn''t stop there. It was hot and frigid. At the same time as thousands of degrees of flames burned your body, a bone-chilling cold descended. Ggh ...... ugh ...... All kinds of pain that came late to them. In the pinpoint light, all kinds of pain washed over my body. Alec! "No!That one is ...... that one is ...... anymore! The angel stops Eliza from trying to run over, her face full of grief. The maids around her were puzzled, and most of them were slumped over. The pain increased further. No, it was more than just pain. A primal pain, like a direct "ouch" to the nerves. Even his soul is being worn away in the pain. "Uh-oh, oh, oh, oh. ...... The hand that held the sword of the wise man was strong. Resist. Summon a rebounding force from within your body and amplify it through the wise man''s sword--the baboons. It''s a shoving match. Even the angels would despair of this power - the pillar of light is pushed back with its amplified power. Still ...... not yet. ...... not yet I am! But the power on the other side grew even stronger. The tremendous power almost overwhelmed me. For a moment, like a lantern, the faces of many people flashed through my mind. Faces of all the people I''d been in contact with in this life. Those faces came and went one after another. The last of the runabouts was--Anger. A bright and clever pretty girl with an extremely sad face. I''ve never seen such a sad face before. "Don''t let me ......! Power overflowing, power beyond the limit. Power beyond the limit - it overflows at once. Palin! Sounds like dry, broken glass. The light, the pain. Everything was gone, like a lie. No. ...... The angel who had a heartbroken look on his face a moment ago, couldn''t believe anything. He had that look on his face. 134 02. Good men, determined to protect everyone "Haha ...... haha ...... "You okay? Thrusting the wise man''s sword like a wand, an angel fearing that I might fall at any moment. I''ve never been so exhausted or so wounded in my life. You''re okay. More importantly, ...... I looked around. Eliza and the maids were slumped over. They were all on the ground, unconscious. I crouch down with Eliza, who was closest to me just before. d*mn it. ...... When I tried to crouch down, I just fell off my knees. Don''t move again!It''s the divine punishment of the creator God, just being alive is already a miracle! "Not so ...... Reach out a trembling hand and touch Eliza. Her breathing is thin and wan. She looks up and sees the other maids. They''re all in a similar situation. I played God''s Punishment, but it looks like the aftermath went to them. We have to help them. "What... Hold out your hand and use healing magic - but it doesn''t work. I have zero magic. ...... In order to play God''s punishment, you have squeezed your magic power to the limit, and as a result, you are so depleted that you cannot use even rudimentary healing magic. "Rest. When the magic power is truly broken, the spirit - the soul! The angel cries out. If you try to use magic when your magic power is low, it can drain your soul instead of your magic power. You can then use magic, but the soul is not something that can be recovered even if it is depleted. I heard from the wise man''s sword once that if you use it up, you''ll never be able to reincarnate again and disappear completely. That didn''t work. I looked around, there were too many maids. I could wear their souls down to the limit, but it wouldn''t be enough. We''ll have to find another way. Anyway, the magic, if I had a little bit of magic... "Ah. I remember a magic. I drew my wise man''s sword and cut my palm. Fresh blood poured out of a wound long enough to cross my palm. What are you doing? I didn''t have time to explain, I was bleeding out even more. Gulping down the urge to fall, you use your magic. Using fresh blood as a medium, it drains your strength and restores your magic. The only magic in the world that does not consume magic. With about a bowl of fresh blood, you''ve regained enough magic power to cast a single healing spell. First, Eliza. Hold out your hand and cast a healing spell. Eliza recovered quickly and her complexion improved. And my body lit up. What: ...... "Okay. Tuck the recovering Eliza into the shadows and approach another maid who is lying nearby. Agnes Member, daughter of Viscount Member, one of the Master''s maids. I''ve cast a healing spell on her as well. Lotus'' ability, restores 10% of my magic when I use it. Thanks to the primer''s magic recovery and the healing spell I used, 10% of my magic power is restored. In this case, there''s already enough magic power. I cast healing spells on the fallen maids one after another and hid them in my own shadow. I''m over the limit, but I''m still ...... amazing ...... Fortunately, everyone was not badly hurt. I took a direct hit, and everyone else is just the aftermath, a fluke. Apply a healing spell and take a night off and you''ll be back to normal. That''s for sure. But even though I knew it was so. I was determined to save the maids, one by one, as soon as possible. Just as my magic ran out, my strength was actually beyond my limits. But as a result of prioritizing the healing of the maids. Hey!Are you okay?Ahhh! After returning the last maid to the shadows, she let go of her consciousness amidst the screams of the angels. "Next, we''re both stranded. I''ll go. No I will. It''s time to return the favor. A strange tremor shook my body and I could hear the women''s voices in my ears. "Get her away from here as far as possible. You two first, you second. I understand. If the first two left go down, go. "Yes! It was with great gusto. Guided by that enthusiasm, the blurred mind gradually becomes clearer. I open my eyes and see the sky. It''s like I''m being put to sleep. I hear the rattling of wheels and the body on its back shakes. If you look closely, you see that you''re lying on a carriage that''s just a cart. What''s ...... awake? "Alec! ""Master!" Eliza''s voice and the maids'' voices could be heard. I look around. Eliza, with me, and the bound angel were on a dolly, and the maids, who should have been sheltered in the shadows, had come out before I knew it and were running alongside the dolly. ''Are you okay?The body? Yeah, I''m still a little sluggish, but-- He tries to lift the sage''s sword - but his hand is too weak to do so, and it falls off. The sword barrel of the baboon falls on the cart. Don''t worry about it. We''ll take care of it. "What do you mean? "Your Majesty! One of the maids shouted in an urgent voice. Eliza, and the maids turned around. I turned around, too. What! I was startled to death. About 100 meters away, a battle was going on. Something like a winged angel surrounds the two maids. The angelic ones are over 100, the maids are struggling, but they''re being swallowed up. Stranded, the word "stranded" comes to mind. "Alice, Chiara. "Yes! The same two voices that I heard when I was in a daze, calling my name, responded. Go when you''re down. We''ll take care of it. If you let the master go, you win, it''s never been this easy. They were clutching the dagger I had given them. Wait, what are you two going to do? Eliza replied. "shin-gariyo. "Shin-gari is ...... Leave a few and stall them in phases. It will result in longer stalling than leaving them all together. Fewer and fewer, then those who are left "Master. I''d rather be happy for my master! The next two remaining maids, Alice and Chiara, answered with a complete smile. If you look, the other maids are looking at them with the same or envious faces. Look at these faces. "Eliza ...... People are willing to die for you. That''s why Alec should only care about surviving. Even if you''re alone, if you get away with it, you win. I''ll be the only one at ...... That''s what it means with Eliza. Maybe Eliza''s going to do it. I don''t know if she''s going to do it as emperor or as a maid once and for all. But Eliza is also going to get her body in gear. I could see it clearly from her face and her words. There''s no such thing as ....... "Rest easy. You can''t even hold a sword and you''re not reckless. "It''s Eliza and the others who are reckless. Gritting your teeth, you lift the wise man''s sword. Scold your trembling hand and tighten your grip on the hilt. Take a deep breath, it feels like I can move around a bit. I don''t know if I''m going to be reckless and get into trouble, but that''s not important. Don''t let your maids sacrifice so much for me. Eliza, there is one more thing you can win in this situation. No way. I have. I insisted. Then I looked around at Eliza and the maids of honor who were running alongside us but looking at us. "All I have to do is kill the enemy and bring them back in one piece. "--Ha! They all gulped, stopped in their tracks. One by one, their faces blushed like a nightlight. I grabbed the wise man''s sword, jumped out of the cart, and headed back to Shingari''s place. 135 The Good Man Brainwashes the Messenger of God The maids of honor catch up with the newcomers. "Thunder of judgment! Raise your magic and summon a thunderbolt from the sky to reside in the wise man''s sword. Push back something angelic with a lightning-soaked blow. Master! The maids who were struggling with their injuries were surprised by my appearance. Are you okay?Who else is left? "Run away, master! Yes, we''ll take care of it. "-- I looked around at the maids in silence. The maids just scoffed at that. I didn''t stare, but I couldn''t deny that there was a little discomfort. With a secret sigh, I secretly sighed and "Who else is left? "No, no. We''re the first. The master woke up sooner or later. That''s good. I''ll get everyone together and say it later and make it clear, but I''ll say it now. Look around again at the maids. This time be careful not to show your displeasure. From now on, you will not be allowed to risk your life for me. "...... yes The maids nodded sparsely and accepted what I said, for the moment. But the light behind their eyes hasn''t changed. If the same situation were to come again, I would risk my life as well. It is the eye that secretly insists on such a thing. Very well, I''ll tell you that later. "I''m awake now, and I''ll leave you in the shadows. ""Yes! The maids all responded immediately and one by one went back into my shadow. You listen to these orders honestly: ....... And I didn''t have time to think about it. The ones who drove them back with their deadly swords, which also used the abilities of the godlike, have returned. They were still angelic looking guys. Shiro based clothes, four wings flapping on their backs, a halo pointing slightly. There were ten of them in total. They attacked us all at once. They attacked with their long weapons...something that was neither a staff nor a spear. The attacks were sharp, but not very strong. Hossen''s two swords are much faster and stronger. First you catch it, then you stop it and then you use your magic. So I used my wise man''s sword to guard the first two attackers. ! The moment I received it, an inexplicable sense of loss passed through my body. Something inside of me was snatched away. Kick the ground and keep your distance. Assess the damage as soon as you land. Check the damage as you land. ...... Huh? There was no damage. There was no loss of strength or magic. Still, there was a sense of loss. Something was lost. Not strength or magic, but something. That''s for sure. Guarding is not a good idea either. Pulling myself together, I jumped into the angelic spell again. This time there were four of them, up and down, left and right, surrounded by a barrage of spears and wands. I dodged them. I ducked through the briefest of gaps in the siege. This time nothing happened. I saw one person chasing after me and as I took the blow a sense of loss overtook me again. You shouldn''t take them. I have to dodge. What about the attack? So I thought, while avoiding the attack of the one closest to me, just a simple slash with my wise man''s sword. Mmm. The angelic was shallow due to a spur-of-the-moment jump. But it didn''t matter. The problem was two things. First, as soon as I cut him, another sense of loss hit me. Apparently contact is a bad idea. The other is-- "Alec! "Eliza! I was astonished. Without turning around, I judged Eliza''s location by the voice I heard while putting up the barrier with magic and jumped in front of her. I was dressed like that, protecting Eliza from the angelic guys. ''Why did you come back? What''s going on there? I get it. "I''ve been watching you for a long time. I see, that''s why you noticed something was wrong with me and came back. By the way, there''s no sign of the maids. It looks like she left them behind. I''m a little relieved to hear that, and explain about the loss. "Would an angel do such a thing ......? No, they''re not angels. "Isn''t that an angel? "Yeah, it''s angelic, but it''s not an angel. Technically, it''s the body of an angel, but it doesn''t have a soul in it. Yes, that''s another strange thing I noticed. The moment I slashed at him with my wise men''s sword, I knew. That my opponent didn''t have a soul in him. "Can something move without a soul? So I''m in trouble and I''m lost. "...... Indeed, A convinced Eliza. So she made her own analysis. "If they sent this to me, it won''t be around for a long time. "Huh? God''s Punishment. . enough to knock Alec unconscious for the first time, and if you can get a second shot in a row, Alec will be gone by now. "...... Indeed, It''s like heaven and earth are in a vice to crush me, a divine punishment from the Creator. Eliza was right when she sent these strange soldiers to chase after us. Just knowing that this is not the case for the time being makes me feel a little better. Anyway, just take it down. You can do it, right? I agree. Let''s wait until things settle down to examine them. It''s been tense ever since my angel arrived. Eliza and the maids won''t be comfortable until things settle down here. I regrasped the wise man''s sword. "Are you sure?There''s a sense of loss, right? "It shouldn''t be too much of a problem to beat the ten men in front of me. Okay. Eliza was convinced, and a hint came through that she would stay on the sidelines. I regrasped my wise man''s sword. After pushing back, I dove at the unprepared, angelic figures. It''s still not much of a movement. I jumped in and slashed at them like a riotous sword. One by one. Some at the top left, some at the bottom right. Each one sliced off a piece of wing. The three angels stopped moving and fell to the ground with a thud. That''s right. When you''re clear of doubt, in an instant. Yes, I''ve heard of the wise men''s sword and how to deal with it. So--Alec! A relieved Eliza cried out. The ten fallen angels stood up at once. It''s okay. I did what I had to do and was sure of success, I say. The angelic creature did not move. He stood up, but his eyes were on me, and his gaze was not hostile. Eliza is the first to realize what that gaze is. "Waiting for orders? Emperor Elisabeth. With tens of millions of Imperial subjects, she is very sensitive to this kind of gaze and emotions. So I noticed right away. What''s going on? There''s a word for karma. Each of those four feathers seems to resemble a letter. So I cut off the ''cause'' and inserted a new one. Even as I was explaining, changes were happening. New feathers grew out of the section of feather I cut off. It''s not pure white, but it''s not black either. A white feather as close to the color of light as possible has grown back. A new cause-......-you are the new master. That kind of thing. "Haha ......, you''re always so much better than I expected. Eliza seemed somewhat happy, though with a dumbfounded sigh. 136 04. A good man, more suited to God than to God Carlisle mansion. I''m back here with a pseudo-angel in tow that I can now control. It was quite an eye-catcher along the way. That''s right, when you have a troop of statuesque but overworked angels with four wings on their backs, it''s impossible not to draw attention. By the way, it was hardly exciting in the house. "Oh, so there are angels. This means she''s lower in rank than that goddess. "You know, my dear boy, we need to send down more gods, not angels, or we''ll be boring to compile a biography. Your father and his merry band of friends were not so surprised. I was rather surprised to find out that they had started something strange. But they are the same as always, so I''ll just go through and do what I have to do. The pseudo-angel stood in the garden like a jizo and went into his study. Then from the shadows he calls Eliza and the two angels in charge. Good work, weren''t you cramped? "...... What''s going on? The angel was blushing and stunned. That''s exactly the same reaction as the maids who live in my shadow. No. ...... The angel huffed and squirmed. I didn''t pursue this one too closely because it''s the usual. "Well, now that you''re back, can you tell me a story? Eliza started to shout. "...... This time it''s a different kind of clamming angel. Her mouth is closed like a clam, and she glances up at me from behind. Is this hard to say? "...... An angel who didn''t nod or shake his head. But he practically admitted that he did. "I see. You don''t have to say it if you don''t want to. "It''s okay Alec, you almost died. "But it''s hard to say. So you shouldn''t force me to do this. "I don''t think that''s the situation. "I know what Eliza means. But look at her. Eliza would know what she looks like. I''m not a maid, I''m a burglar emperor Eliza. "...... will be killed. ! The angel jerked, fear showing on his face. "That''s the way it is, Eliza, you know what I mean. "You know what I''m talking about. You know that." "Sometimes they make threats like that to protect state secrets. "Yeah, that''s the thing, so it''s not a good idea to force it out. It''s your life on the line. "I''ll take care of it. Smiling at Eliza, she smiled. Eliza wanted to say something again, but then swallowed the words she was about to say with a sigh. "Oh, my God, you are. Eliza understands. ............ The angel was more slumped. I wondered if he was thinking about something - and then, poof, he looked up. "Um!Actually-- "Don''t! I held out my hand. One touched the wise man''s sword and amplified his magic. Then I cast a spell on the angel. Instantly the angel was frozen. It was like an icy coffin, freezing the angel like that. "Hmmm. Is this ...... a permanent freeze? "Yes. I furrowed my brow. My brows knit together so tightly that the wrinkles were deep enough to pinch my business card. "She was ready to die. I don''t know that face. I know the one that came in front of me afterwards, with a clean face. "I see. Yeah, I don''t want to let her do that. If it''s true enough to be deadly, I don''t want to hear it from her. Maybe she''ll be his next target if he asks. We''ll keep her on ice until we get it sorted out. That''s what I thought. "That''s fine because it''s like Alec, but at least the next divine punishment?I just wanted to ask you when the That''s okay. I mockingly touched the wise man''s sword, so that Eliza could see it. "Maybe seven days apart. Why? I was taught one of the few things I know about the Creator. There''s a creation myth with seven lightning strikes every seven days for a total of 49 days. Well, that means you can only hit it once every seven days. "Considering the age of the Creator, I''d say that''s about as long as it takes to get a drink of water. I tried to be a little silly. Eliza smiled and seemed to relax a bit. "So, I''ll think about it during the 7th. Well, in seven days, Alec will be able to defeat the God of Creation. "Nope. I shook my head. Eliza''s tremendous trust, to which I''m happy to respond. I just need to prevent it. "Prevent? Eliza''s smile changed, and she made a deep vertical wrinkle between her eyebrows, just like I did before. "You''re not going to knock me over? "Yeah. I don''t know why the god of creation would go to such lengths to reset me, but I don''t want to defeat him. Why? "Because I like the world as it is. The wrinkles between Eliza''s eyebrows got deeper and deeper. "I can help everyone. I can do a good thing and help the next life to be a good life. I like this world right now. Maybe it will fall apart if we kill the creator. I don''t like that. "...... you Hmm? "No. The wrinkles between Eliza''s eyebrows disappeared. At the same time, a tension was lifted from her shoulders. I just thought it was so you. I see. In case you''re wondering, will it be prevented next time? "Yeah. I don''t want people to give up their lives for me again, so this time you''ll be smarter about preventing it. Yeah, that''s not a problem. Apparently, Eliza understands. We should try to prevent it until the next divine punishment comes. . Leaving the study, Eliza is alone in the hallway. She walked down the corridor to leave the mansion, to return to the imperial capital. Her expression was mixed. There was a look of dismay in her eyes, as if she were watching over something she loved. "I don''t know why the god of creation would want me to reset, or. Alec is too good to know. Eliza understands that very well. At the same time, I thought, how snobby the Creator is. It''s almost the same as the emperor''s worries. Already the emperor Elisabeth had run out of rewards for Alexander Carlyle. Entrusted to the Vice-Emperor, entrusted to the Father of the Nation. Still, Alec did many things for his country. It is fair to say that there are no more rewards left to offer. There is no reward left for the emperor. That''s the same, the Creator''s thinking. He would have gotten rid of Alec before that happened. What a snob. Eliza thought. "You were more fitting for a god than I am. So to himself, he quietly walked away from the mansion. 137 The Good Man Turns Gods Punishment into Heavens Gift "Hmmm. Walking down the corridor of the mansion, arms folded. He''s groaning because he''s worried. We have to figure out how to prevent the divine punishment of the creator before the next seven days. So I asked the wise man''s sword first. If there is, I''ll use force to prevent it. He also suggested the plow warding method, but since that would only make me invincible, I was the first to dismiss it, as it would only cost someone else their lives. And to surpass me in force, which is apparently not going to happen in time. I''m still in a constant state of witchcraft with the power of Lotus, but I won''t be able to make it to the next divine punishment. The next ...... or maybe even the next one after that. There''s a chance you can make it there. I don''t know what to do: ...... "What is it, Mr. Alec? "Angers Before I knew it, there was Angier in front of me. She was thirteen years old, just like me. A girl this age grows so fast that you don''t see her coming. Before you know it, Angier had grown even more beautiful. Is something bothering you? Yeah, kind of. It''s rare to see you in such distress, Alec. Is it too much trouble? There you go. I didn''t want them to worry about me for nothing, and I didn''t want them to get excited for nothing. I didn''t tell the maids that there had been a divine punishment and that there might be more to come. Ange, Xiaomei and others would be worried, and father and his merry band of friends would be touring the day of the concert for a live arena seat. To prevent that from happening, I''ve kept it under wraps. Really? ...... I''m going to stay in the house for a while. Hey, let''s watch Angel practice. "Oh no!What a waste. Please use Alec''s power for more people. It''s a waste to use it on me. "Not at all, Angel is my precious wife. It would be the farthest thing in the world from a ''waste'' to do something for Angel, Thank you ...... Angier looked up at me with a reserved, but happy look in his personality. Her eyes are pure longing, and a hint of youthfulness remains in them (). They are completely different from the lady''s maids and other women. I''m going to take a little longer. "Huh?What is? "It''s nothing. Let me show you how to practice your magic, Angier. Don''t worry, I always do it this way. That''s my boy, Alec. I''m wasting my magic every day. "You can''t carry the extra magic over to the next day or something just because you have it left over. Even if you use it up, there are no convenient occasions when you need it ...... and it''s not necessary," he said. In the middle of saying it, something came to me. My words trailed off and I picked them up in my head. "Are you Alec? "Angel! "Yes, yes! "Cast a recovery spell on me "Huh?But with my recovery magic-- Please. I understand. With a straight face, Angier did not refuse any more. He holds out his hands and casts a recovery spell on me. Instantly, a tremendous amount of energy enters my body. Angel''s powerful recovery spell fills my body. I let it-- Wow!Or, the walls have melted. amazed angers. I stretched out my hand right beside it, and what shot out of it melted the wall. It melted, and then Angier said. "Poisonous magic? And then he went on to say, "Yes, it''s poison. Yes, it''s poison. The first time I saw Alec working with poisonous magic. Maybe so. But now I understand. "Got it?I think it''s no surprise that Alec-sama can also use poisonous magic: ...... It''s not. I took Angier''s hand. I stared straight at him and smiled at him. "Thanks Angel, thanks to you. "Yes, yes ...... Angier became flabbergasted as if pinched by a fox. . A few days later, I was standing in the garden of the mansion. The weather was clear and sunny, not a cloud in sight. I looked up at the sky. It''s about time. "Ho, are you sure you''re okay? Eliza and Angel were following her. Eliza is unconcerned, but she can''t seem to hide her nervousness. Angel, on the other hand, was more clearly nervous and awkward, as even Eliza was. "It''s all right, it''s more than that, Elisa. "What? "Why is Angier here? "That''s my line. Hmm? "Why didn''t you tell Angier? I didn''t want you to worry. That''s a man''s logic. It''s as important as that, you have to tell it right. ...... Sorry about that. I''m sorry, Angel. "Outrageous! Ange waved his hand with a waiver. "I didn''t even know that Alec-sama is in so much trouble, and I was so selfish to tell him at the mansion: ...... "...... I chuckled. Anger is selfish?Nothing comes to mind. In fact, Angel is too good to be selfish. Well, that doesn''t change anything. Really? "Me and Angel will be here to see you beat it. Isn''t that all, Angel? "Yes sister!I believe in you, Alec! You see? I see. This time she smiled normally. Normally - if it was me a decade ago, I would have had a bitter smile here, but not anymore. Instead, I''m more determined to live up to their expectations. You''re here. You will be able to get a good idea of what you are looking for. The sky where there was not a single cloud a moment ago became a pitch black sky with thunderclouds. A short distance away. "Same as before? I think you''re more motivated than last time, so you should move away from it. "Okay. Angers. "Yes sister! Eliza took Angel and left my side. After seeing them off, I drew my wise man''s sword and held it high in the air. Here I am, as if to make a statement. The next moment lightning fell from the sky. A thunderbolt much thicker and more vicious than the one I use to attack, the one I "surrender" to the wise man''s sword. A pressure surges through my body, stronger than last time, as expected. The quality is the same, the quantity is greater than before. It was completely within the realm of expectation. I accepted it without resistance. I accepted it, caught the wave of power. I was so used to the Mupapato formula that I somehow caught the wavelength of the wave. Transformed it as I caught it. I let it out, transforming the wave that had fallen on my body. The next moment, a golden ball appeared around me. A magic ball, similar to the one I used to make when I was a child. I let it out, and then one after another. They transformed the divine punishment of the god of creation into golden magic balls and released them outward. One, two, three, ...... the magic spheres multiply endlessly. Eventually, the pressure will weaken. The generation of the magic spheres also slows down. The divine punishment is completely over, and the sky has returned to its normal, clear skies. "Dear Alec. Angel came pattering around, calling me. Eliza is coming back a little later. Good night. You''ve been thinking. I saw that one. "Yeah . You don''t prevent it, you let it pass. That kind of thing, right? That''s not all. "Huh? "Astaroth When I called, a fertility goddess appeared out of nowhere. I had told her in advance so I could call her right away. "Lord. I don''t know about this. "It''s unquestionable. It''s a far more powerful and fine magic than mine. Okay, well, I''ll leave it all with Astaroth. "Yes, sir. With that, Astaroth disappeared out of nowhere with the golden magic ball in tow. What does this mean? Eliza asked me. "I got a tip from Angel. "I am? Surprised Angier, I nodded and continued my explanation. I thought it would be a shame to just block the enormous energy of divine punishment. So we said, let''s convert it into a different kind of energy. "Ah!To Poison Recovery ...... That kind of thing. He nodded at Angier and smiled at him in return. "What did you leave with that goddess? "Converted, well, in a word, like fertilizer. I transformed it into energy beneficial to the earth, as it was in the power of the Creator God, so I left it with Astaroth. "...... pfft Eliza blows out. "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. I couldn''t imagine that. Eliza burst out laughing, as if she had seen something very interesting. ''You''re not just turning yourself into a power of the earth, you''re turning yourself into a power of the earth. I''m glad it worked out. I knew you''d be a better fit. What are you talking about? It''s nothing, we''ll see. "Huh. I don''t know what it is, but Eliza seems to enjoy it, so let''s say it''s okay. Best of all, we''re getting the hang of it. From now on, when the god of creation shoots down the heavens, I''ll be able to turn it into anything. That gives me confidence. 138 06. Good people grow as expected Seven days passed in the blink of an eye, and I was out in the garden again, standing by. It was another fine day, and Angel and Eliza were watching the situation from a little distance. Moreover, Astaroth, whom I called later seven days ago, came out first this time and stood beside Angel and Eliza. The sky has changed, all at once a harbinger of divine punishment, a sky of both godliness and disaster. And then - the divine punishment descends. Haaaaah! Thrusting up the sword of the sage, receiving divine punishment, transforming in the body -- . Ugh! "Dear Alec! "No, I''m fine. ...... I gulp down what tastes like blood rising from the back of my throat. It felt as if the depths of my body were going to be torn apart. God''s punishment, it was the same in power as the last one, but the quality--no, the wavelength--was different. The previous success was a completely different one, and because of that, the god of creation''s power in her body was damaging. But... It''s about my threshold! Clenching my teeth, I regained the wavelength. I, who had become accustomed to pushing the limits with the Mupapato method, soon found the wavelength of divine punishment this time. Once I was in tune with it, the rest was the same as before. The power of the divine punishment was transmuted through my body and released as the blessings of the earth. The same shining magic sphere filled the air around me as before. Feng ...... The divine punishment is over, and the sky is back. "Astaroth Accept. Yeah, it''s all yours. Astaroth, who seems to act like a goddess but a faithful servant and a craftsman. She receives the magic sphere I made and leaves in nowhere. In their place, Angel and Eliza arrive. "Master Alec!Around the mouth. Hmm? "Wait! Angel hurriedly took out a handkerchief and wiped around my mouth. The handkerchief--no, it smells so good from Angel, it''s a little disconcerting. It''s all right now. "Oh, you have blood on your mouth? He showed me his handkerchief and I nodded. I thought I''d drunk it all, but I think I was leaking a little. Angel wiped it clean. Eliza, who had been watching in silence, now speaks to me. "You did it again. "Yes. "It sounds like there was a prank on the level of mischief? "I don''t know if you can call the earth-shattering level a bad struggle, The prank was ...... somehow I thought Eliza was right. But I got it perfectly now. I''ve learned to change my patterns. I think I''ll be better next time. I''m sure they''re gnashing their teeth. You''re prevented. That''s part of it, but you should remember the original story. Hmm? When she tilted her head back, Eliza replied with a scowl. I was going to kill you, and it turned out to be your good deed. I''m trying to stop you from doing too many good deeds to begin with, but this won''t stop you from gnashing your teeth. I see. I hadn''t thought about it, but maybe Eliza was right. But I''ll still do what I want to do. * Seven more days later. Again, I was waiting in the garden, this time with Angel, Eliza, and Astaroth watching from a little distance. And again. Well, this is it. "Oh!I wonder if my brother-in-law is ready for his big day. "I''d love to see the frustrated face of the bum up there. A short distance away, your father and his merry band were having a drink. It''s no wonder that people hear about them and come over for the third time. Well, there''s nothing wrong with that, and that''s always the case with dads, so I decided to let it go. I waited, for the third time - or was it the fourth time? I waited for the divine punishment to come. I waited for the divine punishment to come. ....... ... ............. ................... No matter how much I waited, it never came. The clear blue sky was gradually turning madder red, but there was no sign of anything, not even a sign. What''s going on? I knew you were a snob. In response to my murmur, Eliza came closer. "What do you mean? "I tried to simulate the thinking of a snob in these situations. "Yes. "''I won''t shoot you anymore, you''ll be hated by the people who know the taste of honey and expect it. "Is that what ...... is all about? "That''s just the way it is. Snobbery. I''m around a lot of snobs. So says Eliza. You will be able to find a lot of people who have a lot of experience in this field. Well, that''s why it won''t happen again unless the situation changes somehow. I can''t pile on your good deeds any more, even if I''m doing you a favor. "I see, that''s it. What, you mean you won''t get to see Alec''s sunny day? "What!Hey f*cking Creator God!Go ahead and shoot me, you son of a b*tc*. "Kuhn, you''re still a piece of shit. It''s been a long time since we''ve had a drink, and your father and his merry band of friends have become an onlooker. Well, that''s just the way it is. I suddenly pulled out my wise man''s sword and thrust it into the ground. I closed my eyes and focused my attention. Catch the magic boosted by the Mupapato formula, and amplify it with the sword of the baboon. Then, I let it go. Shining magic spheres were born from me, one after another, and released. "Fufu ...... hii-fu-mi ...... yeah, we''re pretty much the same in number. When I opened my eyes and counted them afterwards, I was relieved to see that it was almost the same number as the last time I converted a divine punishment. What do you mean? I made the same one. Originally the power was borrowed, because what I''m doing is what I can do. "Oh, I see. "And-- I looked up at the sky. In the next round or so, it''s about to become normal and preventable. I was a little relieved to see that I had expected it to come up to a level of strength. 139 07. Good people save angels at the expense of themselves Angel, I need you to get something for me. "Yes? I whispered to Angier. Angier nodded and We''ll take care of it. And ran into the mansion. While Angel is moving, father and his merry band are in full banquet mode. Let''s leave it alone. Now that we''ve built up enough strength to compete with each other, when Angel comes back--we''ll fight back. We will fight back. Suddenly Eliza said something like that. When I looked at her, her eyes were quite serious. "What?Why? "Why? ...... Now he was awestruck. "They were trying to get you, because they were in a bad way. Yes. It''s been manageable so far, but you don''t know what''s going to happen. You don''t know when you - the people around you - are going to come to blows. That''s okay. "Huh? Eliza, who had been yelling at me with such force, is flabbergasted. What do you mean you''re okay? This time I know better, I''m the only one who will be targeted. "...... basis Eliza was still Eliza. She was smart, rational. As is often the case in such situations, "Why not? And without getting emotional. So I was able to explain calmly, too. "First of all, Astaroth, Azazel, and Markosius. You know that both gods and angels are stuck in the rules of this world, the rules of being a good person or not. Yeah, they all did something and fell, and then Alec did something about it. And you know, this divine punishment was the weakest--not the sharpest--that I''ve ever seen. "Sharp? Yeah, he''s always done that, but this time he was more focused on me. Do you know what that means? Eliza thought for a moment and glanced at your father and his merry band of friends. "I didn''t want to involve them. That kind of thing. I think even the Creator God is in the logic of the world. I''m sure of it. You''re so sure of that, aren''t you? "Yeah. . ...... snobbery. You can find a lot of people who have been in the business for a long time. It''s not that much of a good deed or virtue to kill me alone, but I think it''s a waste of time to involve ordinary people as well. I see. But that doesn''t change the fact that they''ll always be after Alec. Yes, there''s nothing wrong with that. ".................. That''s right. After an awfully long silence. I don''t know why I was a little dumbfounded on the way. Eliza nodded and put on a satisfied face. Surely there was no problem. As long as you were the only one targeted for what you could handle. "Yes. The explanation was over and Eliza was convinced. Just then, Angel came back. "Sorry for the delay, Mr. Alec. "It''s a ...... bag? Eliza tilted her head again when she saw what Angel was carrying when she came back. ''''Yes, a food bag. I usually carry it with me, but as expected, it''s divine punishment, and I left all my belongings except for the Philosopher''s Sword to focus on. Why did you let them bring it all the way over here? "Wait a minute. I brought an angel out of the shadows. An angel who was frozen perpetually and made to stop every hour. In the ice, she still has a thoughtful look on her face. I defrosted it. "--me. "Shh. ...... The moment she returned, the angel prepared to continue what she had tried to say. I silenced her with the classic gesture of putting my index finger to my lips. ''Huh?Huh?What? The angel, whose momentum was diminished by my gesture, was surprised and puzzled to notice that the scenery around her was different. What kind of ...... is that? I''ve got a better idea than that. A good thing? "Yeah, do you know what this is? "It''s ...... the food you''re collecting "So . I''m buying and storing surplus food in the territory. It''s enough to feed all the territories in the Alexander League for years. What about it? "In. Hold out your hand, use the magic. Raise the soil from the earth and generate water from the air. Mix the two together. Muddy water? Yes, not only that, but I''ve made a slight material change and put the source of the disease in here. "Haha. ...... It''s ....... ""Ah!" Angels, Eliza, and Angel . All three were surprised at my behavior. I put sick mud in my food bag. Why? What a waste. Now I''ve ruined food for hundreds of thousands of people. "Huh? "...... I''m sorry you had to go through that. I''m not in the mood for a drink. So Elisa says and Angel and Angel huffed. Elisa adds. "No matter how extravagant the emperor is, he could not have wasted so much money. That kind of thing. I smiled and smiled at the angel. "We will do this regularly. You have done your job. "--Thank you! The angels will be the first since the arrival of He looked extremely relieved and extremely happy. Stars Eliza watched from a step back as the angel kept thanking Alec. Alec''s face, and the angel''s face. Having seen more and more of man and human greed, Eliza correctly understood the meaning of each face. Well, that was one more sin. Well, it''s a little late for that now. Eliza decided to watch with a smile on the face of an angel, an unacknowledged favor. And Alec''s face . After looking at Alec''s face, smiling serenely and with satisfaction, Eliza looked up at the sky. (Building up to the SSS rank is only a result, snob. Alec is a good person, happy to be appreciated, that''s all.) The corner of Eliza''s mouth was slightly twisted, looking up, but her eyes were incredibly cold, looking down on the other person (...) I hope you''re holding on. The longer you hold on, the more the difference between the Creator and Alec''s vessel will be revealed. 140 08. A good person inadvertently helps others "Mmmmmmmmmmmm ...... Inside the mansion. Not in the study, which has become more and more of an office, nor in the garden for relaxation. In the living room, which is rarely used, I was groaning. "What is it, Master Alec? "Anger? Angel came into the room and looked half wondering, half worried. "To tell you the truth, I''m wondering how I can do something so bad. "Is it bad? "Yeah, that angel thing. To keep her out of trouble, apparently I should be doing something bad on a regular basis. "Okay, I''ll call your sister! Angel trying to run out of the living room with an innocent smile. I stopped her. "Wait a minute Angier, how did you come to Eliza? You see, your sister told me that she can''t think of anything bad to do in the near future. She said that in the near future, Alec will be worried that he won''t be able to think of anything bad to do, so he should call me when he does. You read like a master strategist. Oh, I''m sorry. I forgot to leave you a message. Thank you, Mr. Alec, for stopping me. "Message? "Yes!It''s bad by God''s standards, but you can rest assured it won''t embarrass anyone. . "More and more, you''re a master strategist. I thought it was great that Eliza was ahead of me. . The next day, a carriage came to the house. When I stepped in front of the carriage, which was parked in the yard, a young man jumped down from the carriage. "Huh?What''s the matter with you, Eliza, dressed like that? The man was dressed as a man - Eliza. "Hey, don''t be so quick to recognize me. "No, it''s amazing, from the way you look, to your facial expressions, to the way you act, and, oh, the air. It''s all a man. That''s a very subtle thing to say after you''ve seen through it so quickly. It can''t be helped, we''ve known each other a long time. I know what Eliza looks like. "Eh, ...... Eliza was surprised, and for some reason her cheeks turned red. "What is it, Eliza, your face is red? Shut up, whose fault is it? "...... me? I wonder what he did. Oh, forget it. Better yet, get in the carriage. Are you okay? "Huh, who are you talking to?The palace is a cesspool of vice. Eliza put her hands on her hips and flailed about. That''s very convincing. I did as you asked and got into the carriage. Eliza got in and drove the carriage with practiced reins. Where are we going? "Brothel "Brothel? Lust is a sin from a divine perspective. Lust not to have children is a divine sin. "I see. That''s for sure. Or rather, ...... What about me, who didn''t think of it? There are a number of deadly sins defined by God, and the one that makes no one unhappy is the brothel. That''s right. It''s not always easy to come up with things you''re not expecting. "Don''t read my mind, master strategist. Smiling bitterly, he protested to Eliza. Yes, two caveats while you''re at it. What is it? I''m Yale and you''re Ares. It''s a pseudonym, I get it. It''s not unusual for a nobleman to go to a brothel, and it''s no problem if people hear about my visit. In fact, a certain number of noblemen feel closer to you and even develop a good relationship with you because of it. But that''s not the case with Eliza. The emperor often goes to brothels on the side too, but Eliza is a woman. That''s not a good thing. "And no, you don''t do it for me. "...... Thank you Eliza I chuckled and thanked her. If she hadn''t told me this, there''s a chance I''d be working with a hooker on the spur of the moment. After hearing her story and all that. I''m going to do something bad today. I told myself that. . After an hour or so, the carriage stopped. I''m here. Eliza jumped down first and I got out of the carriage too. "Huh. It was not in the city. It was near a lake. There is a mountain behind it, and the lake is beautiful as a mirror. On the shore of the lake was a villa-like mansion. It was no larger than Carlisle''s house. Is this it?It''s a much different image than your average brothel, though. It''s a place where all sorts of out-of-towners play in secret. Eliza--no, ale is now a man''s language. Maybe you''ve done something, or your voice is now a man''s voice. I also thought when I was a maid, but isn''t that amazing Eliza? Eliza will lead you in. Without opening my mouth, I let Eliza lead me in. Then I got the general idea of the setting. A playful cousin got undressed for his cousin who hadn''t seen a woman yet. That''s pretty close to the truth, so I decided to go with the setup. We were led to a party hall-like place on the first floor of the mansion, and we were seated in fine chairs with Eliza. And there appeared in front of us a lot of beautiful women. All kinds of beautiful women, of all types. They came into the room one by one and lined up in front of us. It was like a group photo at a magic school graduation ceremony. Counting, there were thirty girls in all. They were all smiling and looking at me and Eliza. "Brother Eri--Yale, what should I do? You can choose the one you want. Well, at times like this, some people choose the opposite of their wives. "I see. What''s the best way, by the way? Eliza is smart, she knows exactly what I mean. I came here to work my wickedness. I asked Eliza, who understands God''s standard of evil better than I do, for advice on how to do it. "All of you. "Everyone. Yes, I''m going to pick them all to have a moment of lewdness and decadence. I see, it''s a very literal thing to do. That kind of thing. But yeah, all of them or ....... What''s it going to be? No, one on one I can understand. I''ve lived long enough to be called an old man in a previous life, and I know as much as anyone else. But I was just an ordinary old man, so I can''t imagine what to do with all 30 of them. Now what to do. Huh! I heard a little scream from next door. I looked and saw a maidservant girl, about twelve or three years old, dropping a cup of tea. The tea cup is falling in the air. It''s a very expensive cup, she''ll be scolded if it''s not. Help... But then my hand stops. It falls to the floor and breaks into pieces. I''m sorry! My heart was throbbing a little. I tried to talk to it to cover the pain. "There are other kids like you, aren''t there? "Eh. The girl looked happy for some reason. Meanwhile, the man who had led Eliza and me down the hall, knowing that the tea bowl was broken, tried to run to me. No doubt to reprimand the girl, but I held out my hand to stop him. Now, I wanted to know why the girl''s happy face. Why did you look happy right now ......? "Oh, I''m sorry. "Don''t apologize to me. Why are you sorry? "Its ...... that ...... "Yes. I nodded, without urging, smiled with an awareness of serenity, and waited for her response. I wondered if she liked me. "What''s so good about getting into it? Because I get more money. "I see. It''s better to be a good housekeeper than a janitor, or . I want to earn money and go to school. "School? "Yes, I want to learn to write. The letters . . letters? "Yes. "Huh. Why? I don''t know. But when I see characters in various places, such as in touch, I get excited. There are some amazing characters and I want to know what they are. That''s a pretty fluffy explanation, but I knew the feeling. I bent down and took one of the pieces of the broken teapot. I cast a transmutation spell on it. Light flooded from my palm. After it subsided, in my palm was not a piece of the teapot, but an apple. A heavily spec''d-down version of the Philosopher''s Stone, modeled after Rietzsche''s golden apple. It was clearly formed by this apple. Here. Eat this. "Huh? "Try it. An astonished girl, she timidly took the apple and took a bite. Meanwhile, I grabbed a spilled tea on the floor and wrote on the ground. Please. "Read!I can read. "Yes. "This, this? "The fruit of knowledge, if you will, contains knowledge of every letter in the apple. You should be able to read any letter. Yeah, that''s it. He has so much passion for the letters that he has an idea about them, so it would be better for him to understand them properly. With that in mind, I fed her an apple. "Yes, sir. "Huh? Turning to Eliza, she had a puzzled look in her eyes. ''I say no, but you''re helping people like you''re breathing. "Ah, ...... Gasp and look at the girl. "Thank you! She thanked me immensely. 141 The Good Man Cures Strange Diseases In a lakeside brothel, Elisa and I were alone in the hall where we were left alone. Elisa''s point. She told me that I was helping people like I was breathing, and I was in so much trouble that I just didn''t feel like it anymore. So I asked all the people in the brothel to leave and left us alone. d*mn. I don''t think you need to worry so much about it. Now that they were alone, Eliza spoke in her usual female tone, even though she was dressed as a man. "I doubt it, Just continue to help people and occasionally ruin the food supply. You know, that surplus buy-in. I''m not sure that''s a good idea. I feel like there''s a bigger deduction for bad behavior at the last review. Is that how it works? The way I see it, though. While stressing that it is her opinion, Elisa seems somewhat certain. That means that you can ruin the food harvest while increasing the food harvest, but in the end it''s still a negative result, because you lose more points than you gain by targeting the same subject. That kind of thing. Eliza nods, still looking convinced. I''m sure you''ll think about it with me again, even if it''s not, if you''ve done too many good deeds and it turns out to be a disaster. Yes. Thank you Eliza, I''m glad you were there. ...... You''re welcome. For some reason, the answer was a beat. I decided to leave the brothel with Elisa. It''s no longer necessary to be there. As I was leaving the store and getting into the carriage, I saw a girl out of the corner of my eye. She''s the girl who fed you the apple of knowledge. She''s carrying a furoshiki on her back and is walking away. "Hey, wait--you. I made the carriage wait and walked up to the girl. "Oh. Thank you, Mr. Ares. A girl who reads my pseudonym and bows her head. "Where are you going? "I''m fired, I''m going home. "Fired?Shall I say something to the people in the store? It''s okay, Mr. Ares has been so good to me, I don''t have to pay for it. I see. And now I want to read things. Now that I can read, I''d like to read different books and ...... different characters anyway. A girl with a twinkle in her eye. Some people say that knowledge is a bad thing to do, but at least this girl seems to have been good with knowledge. I liked that girl. Well, I''ll give you a ride home. "Huh?But, I''d like to ask you some more questions while I''m at it. "Yes, I understand. I took the girl back to the carriage and waited for Eliza. I''m just going to stop off. I knew it would happen. Eliza laughed and replied in male language. You put the girl in the carriage and leave the lakeside brothel together. By the way, I haven''t even heard your name yet. "Oh, that was it. Write your name down, for God''s sake. "...... yes! The girl nodded happily. Give her a pen and paper and have her write your name on it. By the way, there is always a pen and paper in this kind of carriage for people of a certain status. Because it is common to contact somewhere or give instructions of some kind. Just as I always have a parchment with my signature and family crest in my pocket. The girl who receives the paper and pen writes dexterously on her lap. Done! Marie Curie. That''s a nice name. "Thank you!Thanks to Mr. Ares, I got my name called! He was extremely pleased. "Well, you know how to write beautiful handwriting. Eliza, who looked into the paper, was impressed by the man''s words. Is that so? Too much correctness. This one, for example, is correct, but it''s the one that''s not commonly used in everyday life. I know, you use the abbreviations. "Is this what acronyms are for? Mari wrote another letter underneath the one Eliza had pointed out. They are easily recognizable side by side, the one simplified for the scribe. Yeah, that''s the one. "Really? ...... "It''s just the knowledge of the letters themselves, you don''t know how they''re actually used. Eliza said and I nodded. "I thought it would be better. "Life is so boring when you know everything. Perfectly calibrated, just like you. What a compliment Eliza gave me. I just gave her a hand. Meanwhile, we seemed to have arrived at our destination. The carriage stopped and Mari jumped down first when she saw what was outside. Eliza and I got off after her, at a deserted raghouse in the suburbs. Lisa, I''m home! "Welcome home, Mali A grown woman came out at the sound of Mari''s voice. When she saw us she panicked and ran into the house with a hint of blood. Oh ...... I''m sorry, I''m sorry sis. I''m sorry, Miss Ares! Mari hurriedly apologized to both my sister and I. ." "Yeah?Why do you apologize?And to both. "Don''t you know? The answer was Eliza. What do you mean?" to her while dressed as a man. And turn her face. "Her sister''s face. That''s-- Yeah, I know. It''s a disease. It''s a disease that makes your face look like it''s melting off. I''ve noticed. That''s because you can see it. The visual impact is pretty amazing. Mari''s sister is only seen for a moment, but the impact is enough to make it clear in that moment. People find it repulsive. Hated, she''s probably living here to hide her breath. Forget that, my sister has brought in someone who knows nothing. Eliza explained it to me at once. I see. I was more interested in the soul. "Soul? "It was pretty high ranked, the next life is probably pretty awesome "Are you doing a good thing? Eliza turned to Mari and asked her. Mari replied with a depressed look, the joy of learning to write is gone. I keep doing good things to make sure that I''ll be born in the next life. But I always blame myself for being a hypocrite for doing such a good thing while thinking about it. ...... "I see. ...... It can be painful . "Mari! An angry voice was heard. Mari''s sister reappeared. She shouldn''t have let us see her face, but she did. I could see the desperate emotions on her face and in her voice. "Don''t tell a stranger every word you say! "I''m sorry, sis! "I don''t know who you are, but... She turns to me in anger. I reach for her. "What are you-- If you''re sick, you just need a cure. Eliza answered for me. We''ve known each other for a long time, as expected, and she understood what I wanted to do in an instant. Cure Mari''s sister''s illness with magic. When I sought knowledge from the wise man''s sword, he pilloried, "It is said to be incurable... It''s usually an incurable disease, but with the knowledge of the philosopher''s sword and my magic, I was able to cure her on the spot. Ah, ...... "Hi! "...... beautiful "Huh? She was frightened by my reaction, but was puzzled by the words that followed. She was startled and her eyes were wide open. It was beautiful, too. It was beautiful. Eliza lifted the corner of her mouth dexterously to one side. "What''s really beautiful is ruined by a disease that can''t be fixed. Isn''t that a good punishment? For some reason there was a tremendous contempt in her eyes as she glanced up at the sky. In spite of her, Mari rushed into the house and brought out a tub of water. Her sister''s beautiful face was reflected in the water. Perhaps because of her illness, there was no mirror, and Mari had prepared it on the spur of the moment to serve as a mirror. She was surprised to see her own face, and then she looked at me. "You''re ......? Yes, that''s your true face. "............ Stunned. And with that look on her face, tears cascaded down her face. She remained stunned and continued to cry, and then. Oh, thank you. After squeezing out one word, he was overcome with emotion again, this time with a wailing voice. 142 10. Good people, perfect aftercare Inside the barracks, me, Eliza, Mari and her sister, Lily. Once the four of us were inside the barracks, it began to feel smaller and smaller. Lilly is still sobbing. She won''t stop crying. It''s been a tough time for me. I see. When I said that, Eliza readily agreed. I watched sobbing Lily and calming Mari for a while. Eventually . I''m sorry. ...... Never mind. By the way, have you calmed down yet? "Yes. Thank you so much. ...... "Yeah. I''m sorry to be so quick, but I have to explain something to you. "Description? "Yeah, actually-- Just as I was about to begin my explanation, a fist-sized stone was thrown in from outside. Enough to kill me, it crashed through the rib house wall and rolled on the other side of the house, between me and Eliza. My God! I''m fine. Lilly was calm as Eliza got down on one knee and braced herself. ''Please wait a minute,'' Lilly looked familiar and walked out of the barracks. Just as I was wondering what was going on, Eliza, curious about the situation, got up and followed Lily. When I followed her out, I saw Lily and a young thug-looking man facing each other. For some reason, the thug was staring at Lily with a puzzled look on his face. "What''s up, Lilly? "No, ...... is the first time he''s been like this and I don''t know what ...... is. Apparently the reaction was a familiar one, but not one that Lily could understand. I waited a while. "It''s beautiful, "Huh? A pretty girl like you shouldn''t be here. You know, there are monsters living here. A monster ......? That''s before you get better. Next to me, Eliza read my question and guessed. My guess was right, and Mari explained in a whisper. He''s always playing tricks on us. He calls his sister a monster, throws rocks and scribbles on the house". I didn''t know you were doing that. It''s funny if it is. The man-speak Eliza snickered as she did so. The person you''ve been calling a monster and shunning is right in front of you. ...... I see. I''ll protect you, just come with me. That''s okay. Lilly said, her face completely blank, "There are no more monsters. "There are no more monsters, And then the tone of his voice changed. "That''s the voice! Amazing Thug Man. You noticed the tone of his voice. "Can you take me away?That''s fine. But I can''t be responsible if something comes dripping out in the middle of the night. "Hi!Ba, you monster! The man ran away like a rabbit, leaving behind screams and discarded words. Eliza''s eyes were downcast at the sight of him. I could see it myself, too. . After Lily had repaired the wall that had been blasted through the rocks in a very skillful manner, we faced each other again. After the man''s incident, interrupted by the daily routine of repairing the wall, Lily was visibly calmer and calmer. "I''m sorry for making you look so weird, "Don''t worry about it, it''s not your fault. Thank you ...... um! Lily looked at me with a determined look in her eyes and cut me off. "Let me return the favor! And then he said with a great deal of force. Repayment? "Yes! "Don''t worry about it, it''s just a normal thing to do. "Let me still!I''ll do anything! "Really-- "Do you really do everything? --I was just about to say, "Don''t worry about it," when Eliza interrupted me from the side. Yes! So die. . or rather killed. "Eliza! "He needs it now. "--Ha! Surprised I understood Eliza''s intentions. I told that brothel today to do bad things (by God''s standards). I couldn''t do it in the house, and now I''m on my way home. I was completely oblivious to it, but Eliza remembered. How are you doing?Will you die? "Yes. "Lilly! I was even more surprised than before. Eliza''s "die" also surprised me, but there''s a limit to how much of a surprise it can be, because it''s a "demand" that''s won by saying it. Lily''s response to this "die" without a hint of hesitation was twice as surprising as the previous one, or even ten times as surprising. Why? "I''ve been in hell to this day . . because of this face. "...... "It was hell. You said the same words twice. That was awful. "You''re a god to me for helping me do that. If God wants this life, I''m willing to give it to him. "That''s why. Do you take my word for it? You''re right, I''m angry. Eliza glared at him. She shrugged her shoulders and smiled with a huff. After silencing Eliza, she turns to Lily. "That''s all well and good, but your life-- Just as I was about to say it, something strange happened. Lilly, who had been behaving normally, suddenly clenched her face and began to suffer. Lisa! Mari worries. Lilly falls forward in agony. I''ll hold her. Don''t!Follow () "It''s okay. She tried to push me away, but I held on tightly so she couldn''t get away. I couldn''t explain it to her because of that guy''s interruption. There was a good chance she was going to become desperate and desperate, so I held her tight so she wouldn''t become desperate. She looked up. Lisa! "...... failure? Mari surprised, Eliza quizzical. Lily''s face had returned to the melted face it had been before I fixed it. Part of that melted face fell into my arms as I held her with a plop. Shut up!I''ll get lucky, I''ll get lucky! "It''s okay. You said the same lines. This time I tried to be gentler and said it to reassure her. If that was what it did, she didn''t try to escape. Instead, despair showed on her face. I knew it was a bad idea. ...... No, it''s not. "Huh? "Will you calm down and listen to me?I was actually going to tell you earlier. It''s better to explain it first, when it''s normal, so people don''t panic. What''s the deal? I''m going to wait for you to come back and I can explain it to you. "...... As if she sensed something in my words, Lily''s expression changed even more, her despair turned to calmness. Are you okay? "Yes. Then I''ll explain. I''ll let her go and explain again that it''s all right. Your thing is like a cross between a disease and a curse. Irregular cycles, but continuous seizures?I''d get something like that and make my face look like that. "Yes. Nodding Lilly. I think I understand that more than anyone else. "I''ve taken the trouble to not let it go away for now. How can I do that? Eliza asked cryptically. "Look at her face. Have you noticed anything? "Notice? Eliza, furrowing her brow, looks at Lily as I told her to. . and then stare for a moment. "...... even prettier than before? "Your answer "Huh? This surprised Lily, who touched her face in a sticky way. "It''s an application of muscle power - and magic training. You''ll have sore muscles after training, and they''ll grow back after they''re healed. It wasn''t just a cure. We can always fix it. Don''t do it. The man language Eliza has been a powerful compliment. 143 11. Good people cry for joy "...... Mr. Ares. After a sticky touch to her face, Lily straightened up and looked at me with a straight face. She was very serious earlier, but she looked even more serious than that. It''s so serious that I''m caught up with it and it makes me feel like I have to respond properly. Please let me return the favor. I''ll do anything. That''s the story. A story that had been postponed by Eliza''s teasing and Lily''s own seizures, but had never been resolved. Let me return the favor, too. My sister Mari also stood side by side with my sister and begged me to . I''ll think about it. I can''t say no to them that I''m this serious. If I refuse, they''ll be disappointed. Then I''ll have to let them do what they want. Okay. "-GH!Really?! "Thank you! "For now, Mari, you can be my brush. Yu Yu? Mali tilting her head. She knows all the letters in the world, but she still can''t remember the words. Was it a difficult word? A yukitsu is a person who serves a nobleman or a warlord and writes for him. Eliza explained. "Especially for generals and warlords. Most of the generals have shitty handwriting when they''re written. "That''s the thing. You should be able to write all kinds of letters. Lend me your skills. "--Yes! Mari was extremely pleased. She''s a girl who loves to read. Returning the favor by becoming a calligrapher must seem like a vocation. What do I have to do? Lilly asked with a straight face. "You''ll see you later. I''ll introduce you to someone first. Bring them together and we''ll explain. I understand. "Who do you want to bring out? Eliza asked curiously. "Mia, "Mia ...... Oh, Mia Vera? "Yes. "I see. Eliza in man''s clothes with a grin and a convinced face. That expression also suits you well. Speaking of expressions, Lily and Mari''s sisters have changed from earlier, and their expressions are much better than before. They look happy, more than ever, happy to see you. They look like they are happy to be able to repay the favor. That''s good. Well, we''re going to take her home, but now that we have to do that, there is one thing I need to tell you. What is it? "What is it? That''s my real name. "Real name? "You don''t know these things Mari?People who go there use pseudonyms to hide their identities. "Oh--Yes!I''ve heard of it! Ha ha Mari. If you know, you should know. For a variety of reasons, I''ve been using an alias. Mr. Ares, I guess that means not. "Yes. Smiling at them, he said his name. "My name is Alexander Carlyle. You can feel free to call me Alec. "Alexander ...... "...... Carlisle? Sisters staring at each other. Gradually, their expressions grew more and more intense. "Oh, no, that''s not possible! "That Mr. Carlisle! Oh, it''s a prettification. Do you know who I am? I asked back, but neither of them answered. They stared at me, stunned. Eventually, tears spilled from the corner of their eyes. Wait, wait, what''s wrong? "...... "Geez, I didn''t know this was going to happen--geez! Lily was stunned and cried like a waterfall, while Mari cried aloud. Well, ...... what does that mean? Don''t know? She looks at Eliza, and for some reason, she has a look of pride on her face. "Do you understand? It''s tears of joy, apparently. "Tears of joy: ...... I see two people crying. So ......? It''s just that I''m happy to be able to repay the debt of gratitude to my benefactor, and the benefactor is the Deputy Emperor and Father of the country, Alexander. It''s a pleasure to be able to repay him. Eliza explains to me, and I look at them, thinking, "Really? Lily is still stunned, but Mari is sobbing and nodding like a grasshopper with rice. I see. It doesn''t feel bad to be that happy. 144 12. The Good Man, Desired "Wow, this is ...... "Amazing mansion ...... Flying back to the mansion with the magic of instantaneous travel. The sudden change in scenery startled and confused sisters Lily and Mari. "Agnes. Then, summon a maid from the shadows. Agnes Member. She is the daughter of Viscount Member, one of the most popular maids in the world at one time. She is cheerful, positive, and straightforward. She''s trustworthy, so when she goes out, she stays in the shadows and does things for you when you need her. The most trusted Amelia, who is also the head maid, often comes to the house. I called Agnes. You wanted to see me, master? Do you want to share a room with these two--do you want them to share a room?Or would you rather be separate? I didn''t want to be the one to decide, so I asked for their opinion. No, it''s fine with me. Mari nodded, and Lily nodded. They both seem to be overwhelmed by the dukes'' formal residence. Okay. Then Agnes, take Mari and show me your room. Lily stays. I understand. Mari was taken by Agnes, and Lily stayed behind. She looks up at me curiously. "There''s someone I want to introduce you to first. For that job I mentioned earlier. "--Yes! When he said he wanted to repay the favor, he wasn''t lying or saying it in passing, but I know he meant it. Now, you''re going to need Mia. I''ll get her. Eliza opens her mouth. We''re already back in the mansion, but Eliza, while dressed as a man, is still speaking in man''s language. As with the maid, don''t go through the entire setup when you change your outfit. Okay, please. You two wait in the study. "The study?Why? Forget it. Eliza said this and strolled into the mansion. I''m not sure, but since Eliza said so, she must have something on her mind. Let''s go inside then. "Yes! Please excuse my loud replies in reaction to my fears. I took her into the mansion. As soon as I enter the mansion, I see Angel. Oh, welcome home, Mr. Alec! Like a friendly puppy, Angier came running up to me in a flurry. You can''t help but smile at the sight of Angel. I''m back. Angel. How about this one? Yeah, today I''m going to live in the house. His name is Lily. Really. Nice to meet you, my name is Angelica Silva. "Uh, Lilly--Ugh! Just as I was about to call out to Angel, Lily cowered again, holding her face. The interval between seizures was surprisingly short. Understanding the situation, I was angry but calm, but not Angier. Are you all right? Unaware of the situation, Angier reached out to the cowering Lily and tried to wake her up. A plop! Juice dripped from Lily''s face and onto Angel''s hand. Let go of me! Please stay put. Lilly, lightly traumatized, tried to push Angier away, but Angier quietly but nonchalantly interrupted her with a tone of voice. Unmoved by the sight of Lily''s face, melted down, Angier gently touched it with his hand. The hand glows. A soft, warm, healing magical light. It doesn''t work. ...... Sir Alec! It''s okay. "Huh? A puzzled Angel. Meanwhile, my recovery was triggered. This time it''s the one I put on Lily. It worked, and Lilly''s face was back to normal. Hey. It''s true ...... that Alec-sama was already cured. Yes. Oh, it''s going to happen again in the future, so you don''t have to worry about seeing that. I understand. Even as she used her healing magic, the seriousness of her expression faded and she returned to her usual gentle and cheerful expression of Angier. "Um, ......, where is this one? Meanwhile, sensing something in the air between her and Angel, Lily, who hadn''t asked anything when the maid Agnes came out, asked fearfully. ''My bride, Agnes. We haven''t had a wedding yet, but we''re practically in the front room. "Oh, that was your wife!Ahhh! Surprised, and then screaming, tries to wipe the stuff on Angel''s hands. I''m sorry!I''ve messed with your wife''s hands with this stuff! I''ll be fine. I know it''s harder on your face than it is on your face, but Alec won''t leave you in that state for no reason, so you''ll have to trust him. "Yes, yes It''s interesting to see Lily''s trepidation at the much younger Angel, but more importantly, I was curious about Angel''s words. You know exactly what I''m talking about, Ange, I''m daring you to do it. "Yes!Because it''s Mr. Alec. Hmm? "If you''re serious, Alec, you can do anything you want. Injury?Sick?I''m sure you have some deep thoughts about why you don''t heal all at once. "I see. Thank you Angier. Reach out and stroke Angel''s head. Angel squints happily. A deep understanding and 100% trust. It was heartbreaking to see that Angier was looking at me. . I said goodbye to Angel, who said he was going to Calamity''s, and entered the house with Lily. Hey, brother-in-law? "I''ve been here, Hosen. "Oh. Whoa?You''ve got a very pretty girl with you. Encountered in the hallway, Hossen is still as dynamic as ever. The stare will frighten Lily again. ...... He was not, but was staring back at Hossen calmly and resolutely. "She''s not only pretty, she''s strong. She''s a nice girl. Yeah, I think so. My brother-in-law is good enough for you, but I need a more beautiful woman. The only thing my brother-in-law lacks now is the smell of meth. It''s a very Horsen-like blatant thing to do. I''ve known Hossen for a long time, so I''m used to it. "...... I glanced at Lily and saw that she looked unhappy. In the absence of trepidation and bashfulness, she was more responsive to the blunt words of Hossen, the heroic type. ''I guess that''s just the way it is, isn''t it? "That''s what my brother-in-law is like now. Horsen suddenly drew his twin swords and wrote something on the wall. First a regular pentagon, then a warped pentagon superimposed on the pentagon. It''s a graph of a pentagon that you draw to evaluate something. The graph is oddly shaped, with up to four far beyond the limit and one at almost zero. "This is my brother-in-law now. Power, magic--that''s a pain in the ass. All of his abilities are beyond human. That''s a hell of a compliment. "But here, here is the only thing missing. Horsen thumped his graph on the lesser ability. ''More women, my brother-in-law is perfect and invincible. That''s what it''s all about, isn''t it? "Oh, look at me. Hossen said with authority. Yes, I think it''s somehow more convincing when it''s said by Hossen, the heroic type. I don''t want to mention that I went to a brothel today but I didn''t buy anything (). I feel that Hossen is going to be disappointed with you. All Hossen had to do was say it and walked away with a big smile. That''s just like him. And then. You know..." ...... Hmm? Let me return the favor and I''ll do anything I can to help. Lilly was also Lilly-like. 145 13. Good man, great from the material Hmm, I''ll have to call a carpenter later to get this off. Haha, leave it like that. Hossen laughed vigorously and said, "Let''s write it down and compare it with my brother-in-law when he grew up. ''When my brother-in-law grew up, let''s write down what he did and compare them side by side. It''s not a trail of pillars. I chuckled. ''See you later. Let me know when it grows, brother-in-law. Hossen went away again with another guffaw and a laugh. It''s Hossen who''s going to assess it, though. Well, that''s part of his charm. Okay, let''s go. "Yes! Walk out again, taking Lily with me. This time we arrived at my study, unhindered on the way. I walked in and as soon as I sat down, there was a knock on my door. Come in. As she complied, Lily cleared a path away from the door, and through the door emerged two women, one dressed as a man and the other as usual, Eliza. One is Eliza, undressed as usual, in plainclothes burglar mode. It''s Eliza in plainclothes burglar mode. The orichalcone earrings in her ears sparkle beautifully. The other was Mia in a princess dress, Mia Vera. Here you go. "I heard you wanted to see me, God. Mia called me God. She called me that when we met, right after I reclaimed her family''s land. It was frustrating at the time and I had to stop her, but later, when she learned that I had become a god, she began to call me "god" without flinching. Such Mia. You were beautiful again. Yeah, I need you to do something for Mia. Say whatever you want. "Lilly, this is Mia Beulah. This is Lilly. Yo, nice to meet you. "Nice to meet you. Lily, who''s intimidated by a stunningly beautiful woman, and Mia, who''s unassuming on the other hand . Mia''s always like this, and she''s so blunt with everyone else. Let''s see, ......, how''s this one? Lily is put off by Mia''s beauty. To distract the topic and distraction a little, I found Eliza. Eliza, who had taken off her male disguise, her disguise technique was so perfect that it was like meeting Lily for the first time. So I asked her about it. It''s the Emperor. Mia replied matter-of-factly. "...... eeeeeeee! A broadly surprised Lily. That''s the same reaction I had when I told you who I am. Are you the Emperor? No need to get mad. I''m a burglar when I''m in this house. "Ha, ha. ...... Lilly wandered her gaze and stopped at me. Lilly, frightened by the emperor, came to my rescue. We''ll let you get used to Eliza, but for now, let''s get back to it. "Lily, I''d like you to stay with Mia for a while. "Yes, what do I have to do? "Get cleaned up. "Huh? "Mia "What''s that, God? Teach her a thing or two. . and if you can, you can make her beautiful together. "If it''s the Word of God, we obey. Mia answered immediately without asking. It''s typical of Mia''s reaction that her emotions toward me are no longer at the level of faith. Lilly, on the other hand, said. "Um!I will return the favor. It''s a primer. Eliza answered for him. "Prep? "Alec is the father of the country and the vice-emperor, a baronet additionally. That is, a nobleman among nobles. That''s why he often meets with other noblemen. Eliza then said to them with her eyes, "Do you understand so far? I asked. At the prompting of her gaze, Lily nodded, horrified. These aristocratic men, they think it''s status to have a beautiful woman on their side, very snobbish indeed. Eliza shrugged. Come to think of it, I''ve been hearing the word ''snob'' in her mouth a lot lately. People envy her more beautiful women when they meet with other noblemen. "Haha. ...... Lilly, still not understanding, Eliza continues further. "A knight needs a sword and a shield on the battlefield. Likewise, a nobleman needs a beautiful woman at a social gathering. Then he approached Lily. You should be the envy of any nobleman and be a weapon for Alec. "--Yes! I''m sure you''ll understand, Lily, and your anxiety about not being able to repay me for my kindness has been blown away. That''s a good thing. God, is it really true? Mia questioned it. I think she questioned it because Eliza explained it to her, not because of my words. "Yeah. Let''s try it for a change. "What to do Mia, and Lilly, you have to see it. You might as well experience the effects for yourself. Okay. "I see! Eliza. I''m sorry, but I need your help. "I guess we can change the atmosphere. "Yes. Eliza nodded quietly and closed her eyes first. She inhaled quietly with ...... and then opened her eyes. This is ...... "You''re the Emperor ...... ...... Mia and Lily gasped at Eliza''s transformation. This is the side of Eliza that is usually not shown, the side of Eliza that releases her dignity and aura as an emperor. I picked up the bag of materials in the study, thinking, "That''s great. Are you making this? "Yes. "Make it worthy of me. I''m going to do it when we''re at our most beautiful, as I see it. I see, then there is no problem. Put your hand in the bag and use the magic. Close your eyes and imagine. I told Eliza about Mia and Lily, and I imagined what they would look like when they were clean. I made a homunculus out of this image. A soul container, an empty body. I made homunculus for Mia and Lilly and placed them beside Eliza. The two beauties of the world serve at the emperor''s feet. It was a perfect example of what Eliza had just said. Having made it, I turned to them. "This is what it looks like. "...... "...... "Mia?Lilly? They didn''t respond when I called them, they didn''t respond when I held their hands in front of them. Huh?What''s going on? "Don''t play with me until you do. "Hmm? The specs of the women you''ve collected are so high that it worked against women as well as men. "Oh. Clap your hands with a clap. And then you look at them. Yeah, it sure looks like it. They''re half-stared and half-pressured. That''s about it. "That''s the SSS life. The material we''re gathering is different. Eliza said with a seriously impressed face. 146 14. A good person makes you feel happy "Woah, hey, here, here, In the study, the new resident of the mansion, Mari, was like a chicken. I placed her desk in the secretary position in the corner of the study, away from my office desk. It was her own private space, so to speak. Mari is both impressed and bewildered when she''s given it to me. "Well? "Su, wow! "Yes. I don''t know what''s so great about it, but I know you''re excited. So get to work. "Yes!What should I do? "Transcribe this and this and this on this parchment over here. In the script of the Holy Empire. "The Holy Grail, I see. Undertaking Marie. She takes the pen and carefully transcribes my letter on the parchment. "Alec, are you there? Father. "Father!Father of the country!My name is Marie Curie. Your father comes into the office and hurriedly stands up and bows his head to Mari. Mari, your father will be in his office often. You don''t have to do that every time he comes. You don''t have to do that every time you come. "Wow, I see. With my permission, Mari went back to writing the letter. My father on the other hand. Ooh, not only is he not beholden to vanity, but he''s kind to his men. That''s my boy Alec. I''ll tell the Alexander writing team what I just said! "What do you want me to do, father? More importantly, what is your reason for being here? Through & through & stop the runaway as usual . I asked my father what he wanted to do. Oh, that''s right. I had something to talk to Alec about. "What is it? To tell you the truth, since Alec became full-time in the Oval Office, the Carlyle family''s fortune has gone through the roof. I just did a quick count and it''s the largest in the history of the Carlyle family. Is that so? "Ooh, ...... Mari stopped and her eyes were shining. "No, that''s a given in and of itself. "Is it natural? I smiled. Your father, who took it for granted that this was the largest asset in the family''s history, was never wrong. Yes, of course!So I don''t really care about that, but I''m going to talk to Alec about how I''m going to spend my money. "How to spend money? "It''s foolish to let the money play around. Don''t you have something to do with it?I knew that Alec would have an amazing and unprecedented idea, and that''s why I came to you. "You lift too much, father. You''re right. ...... I thought. As a result of farm reform and everything else, the Carlyle family''s tax revenue increased. What can we do about it? ....... How about a tax cut? "Tax cuts? Yes. I nodded. My father, who was born a duke by birth - an aristocrat of the highest order, doesn''t know this area, but I know from experience, with my memories of my previous life intact. For the common man and the worker, the less taxation, the better. If taxes are high, you feel foolish to take your work away, and if you have money, you can make more money. If you are a farmer, you can buy new farming tools and otherwise just repair or build a new house to live in, resulting in a lower chance of getting sick. The empire, and Alexander''s domain, has a long way to go. It''s time for more money to go around. At a time like that, it''s good to lower taxes. I see. How much lower then? "Yes, farmers to zero. Zero? Yes, zero taxes. Three years for now. Why three years? If you have three years to spare, you will want to have more children. And the children will not be sold to the labor force. I don''t know. Father. "...... Father? Your father was flabbergasted - and then he began to tremble and run outside. Mom!Alec, but Alec was a rare master after all! And ran out of the office with a shout. Seeing your father, Mari was flabbergasted. That was the first time for you. Don''t worry, it''s just the same old dad. Oh, I see. So Mari, add work. Write me a sentence to announce the tax break later. "--Yes! A delighted Mari. Her smile, which until a few days ago had been living in a place unrelated to the nobleman''s house, felt directly indicative of the effect and meaning of the tax cut. If this would work, the Carlisle territory would be--" "Oh! ''''Oh!Get out of my way, brother-in-law! I need to talk to you. "Alec, listen to me. Hossen, Miller, and Angier''s father came through the door where father had left, one after another. Father and his merry band of friends suddenly barged in-- What''s going on, guys? "Oh, I''m overtaxed and I have money left over, brother-in-law, you''ll have to think of something to do with it. Hossen said, and the other two nodded and looked at me. ...... It was so. Before my father and his merry band of friends, they were the lords of the Alexander League lands, ruling with policies similar to those of the Carlisle lands. I help in many ways. So the three of them came. Like the Carlyles, they may have reached an all-time high in assets. At the intrusion of these three, Mari in the corner. "No way this is also ...... so great ...... And had expectant eyes. Naturally, I said, "What about cutting taxes? . how about a tax cut? And suggested to the three of them. . "Fu ...... Hossen and the others returned to their territory with great joy, and I let Mari out of the study to say that the day''s work was over. I was the only one left in the study. Well done, my dear. "Eliza It was Eliza who quietly came into the study. It was Eliza, dressed in plain clothes, a ninja. She walked up to my side. What do you mean you got it right? "Tax Free Hmm? "It''s the poison in the medicine?The Philosopher''s Stone--I''m sure Alec, who has the Philosopher''s Sword, has no idea what happened to the country that did it in history. Yes. Eliza was right, it is a poison in a way. No, it''s better to say that it turns into poison. "A man never forgets the taste of honey once he gets it. Once you get it down to zero, there''s a riot when you get it up. "As long as I''m alive, it''s going to be okay. I''ll take care of it. "While you''re alive? Yes, and then, just before I die, you can raise it. If I die afterwards, the infamy and vindictiveness will just go with me to the other side. It''s not the end of the world, but compared to the prosperity of another 60 years or so in my lifetime, it''s a plus or minus. "...... You''ve learned to do evil too, "Yeah, I''ve learned a thing or two about God the Creator. That was quite a lesson to me, the snobbery was worth it. Eliza''s words trailed off after she said that. There''s a scene in the study. I was curious to see Eliza. Eliza has a look on her face that I''ve never seen before. I don''t ...... know what that face is like. I''m ...... a politician. Hmm? What''s the matter with you all of a sudden?But then Eliza got very serious. The Emperor, Elisabeth Shih-Forsize. That''s the look on her face. "One who can balance the clear and the pure, and is willing to suffer her own pain. I believe that is the highest quality of a statesman. It''s usually just one or the other. The former ridden with corruption, the latter a moron who knows only ideals. "Yes. I was tempted to give it up to Sir, that''s how I felt. That''s a bad idea, indeed. Eliza nodded quietly. The empire has traditions, not even the emperor can do that. And Eliza knows that. Handing the emperor over to me after all this time won''t change anything. "There is one more thing that has strengthened me. For a change, Eliza returned to her normal female tone. I''ve known this Eliza for longer, but I knew she was an unfamiliar face. It was as if she was buoyed by the heat, how should I put it. Hmm! Eliza''s face approaches at once, her face blocking my view. The last thing I see is Eliza closing her eyelids. The last thing I felt was Eliza''s soft lips. It was just a moment, just a moment. Eliza and I kissed, lip to lip. "I want to be your woman. I want to be your woman... I''m sure you''ll be allowed to go to ....... The first time Eliza and I kissed, it was a mixture of things. Anyway, it made me happy. 147 01. Good people, leading to technology two generations ahead Yoo-Boze, do you have a minute? In the garden in the late afternoon, as I was watching with mixed feelings the two figures of Eliza and her companion Angier, the mirror spoke to me, unusually alone. The face has become more and more wrinkled, but behind the wrinkles the eyes are sharp and still looking like a hunchbacked old man. You smile back at the mirror. Of course. What do you want? There''s a guy I want to introduce to Bowes. "Introduce me? Yes, a man in my domain, but I don''t know what he''s talking about. He talks more like a bowler than me. "I see. All the things in the world are not for bowling, though. Miller then opened his mouth wide and laughed. I''ll be back again soon, I thought to myself. Once again, I see that Miller is part of your father and his merry band. Hey, I''ll be right there. Oh, I''ve already brought him in. Miller said and then walked away. What are you talking about? "Eliza, and Angel. We were chatting away when these two men came in. Miller said he had someone he wanted to introduce to me. It''s unusual for a man to do such a decent thing. What kind of person are you, Mr. Alec? I haven''t heard that either. They''re bringing him in now, so I guess we''ll see. "Can we stay too? "...... of course I agreed, and Eliza and Angel were a few meters behind me, far enough away that I could hear their conversation. All the while, or even before that, they were holding hands. Angier calls her "big sister," and they look like real sisters, not brothers or sisters-in-law. Hopefully they will stay close for a long time - when the mirror brings a man with her. He''s probably in his thirties. He''s wearing glasses, but they''re kind of twisted. His clothes are also shabby, and he has a skinny and somewhat unreliable appearance. You''ll be able to see your father. Okay, I don''t want you to do that. This is not a public place, it''s my house, my private space. He stopped the man who was about to kneel down and bow in manners. Ha, ha, ha!Thank you for your generosity of spirit, yes. "Or better yet, why don''t you tell me your name? Miller, who had brought the man to me, urged. Oh, excuse me. My name is Cloud Shiro. I am the sorcerer. The magician. What can I do for you? I''m here to ask your father for help, yes. "Assistance? This guy is doing some interesting research. "Huh. Turning his attention to the interesting, Cloud began to explain. "Do you know about this magic stock, Your Highness? I''ve heard of it. You can literally take the magic out of a person, store it, and use it when you want to. It is also closely related to the Mpapato formula. In my sphere of activity, it is mainly used by the magic schools. As the emperor''s emergency refuge, it''s just as important as weapons and food, and contains magic power. Yes, yes. So I thought that I could extract and store the same bio-energy as magic, the human life force. "Hmm. The human body has different vitality when it is healthy and when it is not. But even when weakened, life can be sustained. The inference from this is that when we are healthy, we are wasting our life force, or in other words, we are using it inefficiently. Nodding, I began to find it interesting. This man, Cloud, who at first seemed unreliable and wavering, began to speak clearly as soon as he began to explain. There''s also talk of sitting still and conserving your strength when you''re lost. That means you can control the amount of life force you use to some extent. Then it can be taken out just like magic. I''m studying it. If you can stock up on physical strength on a regular basis, it will work better than any potion, for example, in a major illness where magic doesn''t work and you''re fighting a war of physical exhaustion. I don''t know, but he wants me to be his patron. I don''t know, but he has asked me, his lord, to be his patron. Okay, so you want me to do it for you. "Don''t do it, okay?I don''t know if it''s worth the money, but you know Bowles. Yeah, you know what I mean. I said and held out my hand upward. A moment later, a glowing ball emerged from my palm. It''s different from anything I''ve ever done, my first time. "Alec, what is it? Eliza asked from behind me. "My life energy, or stock of physical strength, "Nah! Cloud was astonished. That''s what you''re trying to do. How did you know that ...... was already a reality? Realization, or maybe it was a lost cause. From what I learned from the wise men''s sword, just like the magic stock, this was a technique that was once established hundreds of years ago. But for various reasons, only the magic stock technique remained. Such as ...... When I recreated it, Cloud nodded in disappointment. I thought it was an innovative idea, but ...... I didn''t know His Royal Highness was already ahead of me. ...... Cloud''s shoulders slumped pitifully. Now, how much money do you need for research? Eh? Cloud, as well as Eliza, Angel, and Miller. Everyone in the room was surprised to hear the same thing. "You''re paying for this, Boz. "Yes. "But already Bowles can do it, why the money? Beyond this technology, you know, the stock of life, that''s the theory behind it. "Stock of life? Yes, this ball - it''s actually a technique beyond this one, but if you keep it in stock, if you get hurt or die or something, it will take over for you because it''s your life. It''s my life, you know. "Can you do that? Theoretically, you know. Cloud, what do you think of what you just said? "I think you can go to ............. I''d say it''s difficult. "Yeah, I guess so. Would you be willing to try that? "--I do! The cloud has bitten. "Hmm, I don''t know much about technicalities, but the point is Miller picked his chin and craned his neck to ask, "Bowles was one step ahead of you, wasn''t he? Bowles was one step ahead of you and two steps ahead of you, I suppose. Yeah, that''s what I thought. "Wow, that''s great, Mr. Alec! 148 02. Good people start innovation I was thinking in my study. Hey, Father. Is something troubling you? Hmm? When I looked up, I saw Yuuji Mari looking at me anxiously from a desk in the corner. The writing I asked for was already finished and carefully sealed in an envelope. "It''s not a problem, it''s a thought. "A thought? "Is Mari listening?He said I''m paying him to study the stock of life. "Yes!I''ve heard from all the maids. I smirked. Some noble houses forbid gossip, but I don''t. I didn''t want it to spread. That''s a good tip. I have a lot of knowledge and skills. I have a lot of knowledge and skills, and I thought we should take it a step further. "Haha. ...... She gives a raw reply and a look of confusion on her face. Was it difficult for her, a specialist in letters? Thanks to the philosopher''s sword, I have all the knowledge in the world. It''s actually a huge dictionary, but as long as I have the wise man''s sword, the knowledge is in my hands. The knowledge of the philosopher''s sword can be summed up in one word: what exists in the present and what existed in the past. What is in the future is not in the philosopher''s sword. We have the most advanced knowledge and technology, but it is "dead" knowledge, so to speak. The cloud thing made me think about extending that knowledge farther. ...... Yeah, let''s do it anyway. And then I made a decision. Let''s start with "magic" as Cloud said, which led me to do it. . A house that stands hidden away in the woods. Hearing rumors, I came here to visit by myself. I walk up to the house and knock on the door. "I''m sorry, SCENE. There was no reply. "I''m sorry, I knocked again and called out to him, but again the scene was silent and there was no answer. Just to be sure, I''ll search for a sign: ...... There''s a man inside. He''s not moving, but his breathing is regular. Is he asleep? As I was wondering whether to wake him up, I felt a shimmering presence and decided to call out to him again. "I''m sorry, Mr. Howe Robinson. Are you there? "...... d*mn, that''s annoying. An irritated voice came back from inside the house. After a short wait, the door opened and a man appeared. He''s in his thirties, and with his shaggy head and stubble he could be a little older. Maybe he was asleep or maybe he''s just a regular guy, but he has a very uninspiring look on his face. "What the hell are you. This is no place for kids. "You are Howe Robinson. My name is Alexander Carlyle. "I don''t care if it''s Alexander or Kuro Thunder, go home kid Howe said irritably. You don''t seem to know me completely. That''s okay, that''s okay. Because what I''m about to ask you to do is not about whether you know me. "I came to ask you for a favor today, Mr. Howe. No food. "No, sir. I heard that Mr. Howe was working on a continuation-of-life spell. "...... kid, what are you? Howe''s face changed. It''s clear he''s on alert. "Alexander Carlyle. A nobleman. Why would that nobleman ask such a question? I thought you''d like to pursue your research. "...... Howe often stared at me in silence, as if stamping out the price. Stars I was let into the Howe and let inside the house. I walked through the front door and entered the living room, which was bright. There was something hanging from the ceiling and it was giving off light. So that''s what Ms. Howe is working on. Yeah, yeah, the first prototype. "It''s not a once-in-a-lifetime tool, it''s a magical tool that exists permanently and can be used over and over again by replenishing its magic. I''m trying to research how to use it in our daily lives. "Good work, kid. But the information is slow. I''m not doing that anymore. "Stop?Why? I''ve been told to make weapons for years. Howe sneered. "It would have been easy to turn the spell into a vessel, not a disposable one, to keep it working as long as it had magic. Just like this one. Was it called a magic lantern?Just keep feeding it with magic and it will keep glowing. "Yes. I didn''t make one, but I''m thinking of a device that could loosen the ice magic and cool the room down. Comfy in the summer, huh? I could make a device that would automatically make ice for you. Huh, it''s an aristocrat''s idea. Yeah, that''s how you can get ridiculously expensive ice for cheap. Why did you stop studying? I told you, he told me to make a weapon. Howe laughed more and more cynically. ''''The stuff is easy to make, the problem is magic. Where do you get the magic from?Humans or, well, monsters. "...... Yes, That''s what''s happening with today''s technology. The mages who have magic say ''make weapons rather than that''. That''s because it''s easier for the mages to make the same thing they do. Howe''s words were harsh. You''re really pissed off. That''s what I mean. I''m not doing research anymore. "If "Ah-an? If I can solve the magic supply, will you resume your research? "The kid''s going to give you magic? Howe snickered. "In a way, yes. "...... is going to get angry, Follow me around. "Huh?What--what--wow! Taking Howe''s hand groaning, flew in the instantaneous movement magic. A moment later, from a house deep in the forest, he came to a sprawling rice field. What is this? "A Farming Community in the Carlisle Territory "What the hell are we going to do with you in this place? "This I pointed down. There''s one plot in front of me and Howe, a field that grows a different crop than the others. The field is covered with flowers and dripping honey from those flowers. Don''t you see? What is ......? Wait a minute, is this magic? "Yes. "Stupid! Poof, Howe got down on all fours. She crawled to the ground and stared at the dripping honey. That''s really magic. ...... What the hell is this? Solar Flower. . an ancient species once extinct. Characterized by dropping concentrated magical nectar while basking in the sun''s rays. "............ Howe''s that makes you go, "Poof! If we create a magical field with this, we will have a steady supply of magical power, just like the food in the world today. So I cut the words off and stare at Howe. "Can we resume our research? "...... Howe''s eyes widened in surprise, but his expression gradually changed. He stood up, lifted the corners of his mouth dexterously, and smiled wryly. "Yeah, let''s do it. A leading expert in the field was motivated again. 149 The Good Man Overcomes the Night In the garden of the villa, in front of the flowerbed I was picking flowers. I would plant the flowers, magically stimulate their growth, and then pluck them as they grew. After plucking, I would plant new ones to stimulate their growth - the process was repeated endlessly throughout the morning. The goal was to make the flowers grow exactly as I intended. It took me half a day to finally grow some of the flowers I had in mind. Mr. Alec, you have a visitor. When Angel, who was trotting from the mansion, noticed what I was doing, he stopped and nodded his head. What are you doing, Master Alec? Are you divining flowers? "It''s a grand fortune-telling. But no. I wanted to grow these flowers. Show Angier the flowers you''ve been aiming to grow. Wow, ...... it''s beautiful. Do you like it? "Yes, it''s very beautiful. Then this one is for Angier. I plucked the flower and put it over Angel''s ear. Oh, ...... Yes, it looks good on you, Angel. "Thank you, Mr. Alec. ...... Angier grinned happily. By the way, what do you want from me? Oh, yes, of course. Mr. Alec has a visitor. Who''s that? "How," says the person. * In the parlor of the mansion, Howe came to the room where the maid had been sent. "Sorry to keep you waiting, "Oh. Howe, who only looked up while gobbling up the cake and sweets the maids would have served. When I saw the piles of plates that would have been refilled and the fact that she hadn''t touched her tea, I thought to myself, "Do you like sweets? "Do you like sweets? "Oh. I''ll have them bring you more. "No, that''s enough for now. Howe shoved the last piece of cake into his mouth and swallowed it into his belly with a mighty gulp. "Gosso-san. Sorry. So, what can I do for you today? I brought it because I made the thing. "Yeah, what''s it like? The thing, of course, is a tool that utilizes the magic of the solar flower, which I have asked Howe to research and develop. I''m excited to see what he''s going to make. Howe took the parcel at his feet, put it on the table and opened it. A round, glass ball-like object was revealed. The glass ball was placed on a stand with a spiral-shaped indentation dug into the stand. What is this thing?Crystal Ball of Divination? I''m not going to make that crap. Darken the room. "Okay. Please. I summoned two maids from the shadows. The maids pulled down all the curtains in the parlor and then went back into the shadows. When Howe saw the maids'' summons, he had a reasonable "hmmm" reaction, but he was not surprised or interested. On the other hand, the room became darker as the curtains were pulled down. Is that okay? Enough for now. Howe then took a vial from his pocket. Inside the vial is a liquid. The magic of the solar flower. "Oh, if you put this in here-- Howe dripped a drop of magic onto the glass ball base, a spiral groove. The drop circled around and around along the spiral groove, gradually moving closer and closer to the center of the glass ball. Eventually, when the drop was directly under the glass ball, it caught. The glass ball, which was transparent and empty, glowed. The darkened room suddenly becomes bright. It''s as bright as if the curtains had been drawn in broad daylight. This is the first prototype that uses the magic drop you gave me. It will make the room as bright at night as it is in daylight. It''s amazing. "And it''s magical, unlike wax or grease, it doesn''t smell or soot your room. "I love it. . and best of all, I like this groove. "Groove?Oh, now I can make sure that I spend that extra money slowly-- No, I can do better than that. "Hmm? You know what a plumbing is, right? Oh, you mean those things you see in the mansions of the nobility and rich people? Yes, a device that provides a steady supply of water. Don''t you think that if we pulled a tube from the flower garden, for example, and connected it directly to this kind of device, we wouldn''t need to replenish our magical power? "--Ha! Howe''s eyes widened and he was shocked. ''Sure, that would be more convenient. Immediately after, he slumped down, did his chin to his hand and grumbled. "Oh, I see. I can transfer the technology from the water supply. Mmm, I should have thought of that when I saw that magic could be liquefied! Grumbling to Howe, I ask. How''s that?I wonder if I can do it. "Oh, I can do it. . ...... No, not after all. "Hmm?Why? "This guy''s made of solar flowers, Lift the vial and ask me, I nodded. Yes, Solar flowers only produce drops during the day. This lighting would rather be used at night, so automating the supply in that way would not be of much benefit. "I''ve just solved that one for you. "What? I took a flower out of my pocket. A relative of the solar flower, which I have been planting and plucking since this morning to accelerate its growth and improve its breeding (). What''s that? I just made it today. I don''t have a name for it, but yeah, I think I''ll just use the normal moonflower. "Moonflower ...... no way! "Yes. I nodded quietly. "This one produces magic drops by moonlight. When combined with the solar flower, we can have a non-stop supply of magic all day long. "...... wow! Howe was unable to open his mouth. 150 04. The Good Man Builds Night Castle Inside your father''s office, an unusually serious-looking father . "I''ve heard that the crime rate in Molech city is up. It''s the closest city to the compound. Nodding, Father. "Many people came here in love with Alec. But not all of them seem to be good people. Some are willing to do bad things from the start. That''s true. That was a lot. The city is flourishing because of Alec, so you must be good (...) I see. That''s a bit disturbing. I can''t see the crime rate going up. Okay, Dad, I''ll see what I can do. "Mm, please, Alec. I just said "I''ll take care of it" to your father and left the office. Let''s go out to the city of Molek to get a grip on the entity first. So I walked through the hallway and out of the house. When I got out of the mansion. "Oh, could that be? "I wonder if it''s real, hey what''s up? Wow, I''ve only seen it from a distance. I heard a girl''s voice, a type of girl I''m not used to hearing. Curiously, I turned toward the voice and saw a group of girls having what appeared to be a tea party at a table in the garden. Among them was Angel, and the girls were all about the same age as Angel. Since Angier was there, I went to the girls. Hey Angier, having a tea party with your friends? "Yes!Dear Alec. A yellow scream went up from the girls as Angel replied. They reacted as soon as they heard "Miss Alec", or my name, in Angier''s reply. She reacts like a girl of her age who has actually met her idol. Including that reaction, I was curious to know what kind of a group of girls it was. "What kind of friends are you? "Huh?Let''s see, ...... um, ...... Hmm? "Its ...... Unusually stammering Angel. I''ve been living with her for almost ten years, but it''s very unusual for her to stammer like this to say something to me. I mean, this is the first time, isn''t it? If you''re uncomfortable answering your questions, you don''t have to force yourself. I know she wouldn''t do anything strange. With that in mind, I was about to cut the conversation short. "Excuse me!Don''t blame Master Angelica! A girl sitting across from Angel began to frantically defend herself. "Angelica-sama is only doing us a favor! What does that mean? "We all admire Master Alexander! Oh, whoa? I was a little pressured by the momentum of the girl explaining herself and the same strong look the other girls were giving me. The girl who admires Alexander but has never met him, or who only sees him from a distance when he saves her. Angelica has invited us here. "Isn''t that right, Angers? "Well ...... yes. Actually, it''s ....... Angier''s cheeks turned cherry-red, and he looked up at me with a slight slump. I wanted to hear nice things about Alec from everyone. I''ve heard rumors and seen him in person. I wanted to hear all the wonderful things about Master Alec. "...... I see. I wonder what''s so loud. That''s not a bad thing. So I invited a bunch of people to the house for a little chat. So it''s not your first day. "Yes! I see. Well, I''m out there a lot, so it''s no wonder you don''t know. "Uh, Mr. Alec. Hmm? I''ve heard from a lot of people and I''ve noticed one thing. What is it? "Everyone who likes Alec is a good person. "Nice people? "Yes!That ...... Mr. Alec your ears. Angel said this and whispered to me so that the other girls wouldn''t hear. There are many ways to say it, but everyone says you can''t face Alec if you do something bad. Alec is a light, and if you do something bad, you won''t be able to stand to love him. "I see. I responded in a whisper that I could hear. Young - or rather young - children are often like that. More often than not, parents discipline them. They will hate you if you do something wrong. That''s what a good percentage of parents are told at an early age. That is true even if the person is not me and not light or anything else. ...... "Mr. Alec?What''s wrong with you? "Light ...... hey Angier "Yes. "Angier, which do you think thieves are more common, day or night? "I think it''s ...... at night . . because people don''t see you more at night. That''s right. Angel gave me a hint, which I further asked the wise man''s sword. Like a dictionary of tens of millions of pages, the wise man''s sword holds all the knowledge that exists in the world. The wise men''s sword told me. It is clear that 60-70% of all crimes are committed at night, and in some cases more than 90% of all crimes are committed at night. The difference between day and night is brightness - or light. Then, to curb crime, we need more light. Light, huh. . A few days later, the city of Molech. A few days later, in the city of Molek, a few things that had been installed here and there on the street were finally installed in the evening. Oh, man, you''re a real operator. Standing beside me in the sunset is Howe Robinson, who has become a patron of my research. The patron of my research, Howe Robinson. He''s here because I commissioned an invention. That invention is now installed all over the city of Molech. It''s amazing how quickly you can make it work. I''ve had the idea for a while now, and I''ve been throwing around the idea that it wasn''t feasible because there was no such thing as a moonflower. That''s why you were able to make it so quickly. That''s what it is. Nodding Howe. Even as he spoke, the sun was slowly setting in the west. And with it, the people of the city began to fidget. And then the sun completely set. The bright daytime is over, and darkness reigns in the night. Soon after, the lights came on. Not one or two, but lights came from all over the city. The ones I had them installed were streetlights. Like pillars, just a little higher than the ceiling of a one-story house, I mounted the magical lights of Howe''s invention on them. The magical power that powers it is provided by the moonflower on it. At night, the moonflower automatically creates magic drops and lights up with them. "Whoa! "Bright, bright! "It''s like daylight! Cheers erupted from all over the city. The streetlights here and there have created enough light to rival daytime, just as everyone thought. It''s as if the entire city of Molech has returned to daylight. After this day, the high crime rate in Molech has dropped noticeably. 151 05. Good people, make a name in history Molek at night, looking down on the city at night from the top of the tallest building in town, five stories high. It looked as if we were having a revelry at the top of the tower, with lights everywhere in the city we looked down on from our room. They were lampposts set with my moonflower, an invention of Howe''s. It has made the city brighter and more populated. At night the city is even livelier than it is during the day, and tourists come from all over the world to see the bustle of Molech the Palace of the Nightless City. It''s like a festival. My father, who is with me, murmured his thoughts while looking at the scene below. Yes, a festival. Just as he had said, it was like a big annual festival. The difference is that this is something we do every day. It''s a common sight for Morek. You''re right, Alec, the city has been rebuilt in one fell swoop. No, it''s not. No? The world has changed. You spoke forcefully and without a trace of hesitation. "We rewrote history. Well, that''s no matter to Alec. "Too much praise, father. That''s not true. When future generations look back on history, they will definitely say that this moment was a turning point in history--no, wait. Halfway through, Dad held out his hand. The gesture alone seems to stop me, but in fact, I''m unilaterally stopping your father from speaking. You hold out your hand while pinching your chin with your other hand, thinking, father. What are you thinking about?If you''re wondering This is the extent of what Alec will continue to do. Then won''t this be a watershed in history?I can only summarize that the very birth of Alec has already changed history. My father was always my father. "Alec, you''re a sinful man. "Yes? "Don''t pick on the historians too much. "That''s why you lift too much, father. I smiled at that of my father, but I let it slide as it always did. For a while, while you and Father were looking at the cityscape, one of my maids came in. "Master, Grand Master, What''s going on? "From Your Majesty to Your Master The maid said and held out the sealed envelope to me. I pulled out the contents of the envelope and read it, thinking that it was unusual for Eliza to do this. "What? "He''s coming to Molek''s town tomorrow. He wants me to show him around. Your Majesty is coming... I nodded. Never one to waste words, father, I understood everything in a split second. Not a burglar Eliza or a maid Eliza. To contact me like this, to ask me to show you around. I''m coming as Elisabeth Shih-Forsize, Emperor. . The next night, the entrance to the city of Molech In the background, the city of Molek is as bright as in the daytime, and the inhabitants, tourists and onlookers are gathered in large numbers. Ahead, a portable shrine guarded by the imperial guards, and the emperor riding on it are coming towards you. It is solemn and majestic. The emperor''s troops are right in front of the city and then they stop their advance. I stepped forward to the front of the palanquin and bowed on one knee, following the etiquette. "I''ve been expecting you, Your Majesty. "Raise your head, Sir Alexander. Unlike the lowly ones, there is no need for the Lord to hang his head. "Grateful happiness So far, so routine. I will act in a civilized manner and Eliza will tell me I don''t have to, and I will return the favor with gratitude and happiness. If you''re in emperor mode, this procedure is necessary. Meanwhile, Eliza got off the palanquin. Dressed in her emperor''s uniform, she walks on her own two feet and comes in front of me. "Lead on, Sir Alexander, and show me your light. An onlooker behind me buzzed. Your light, your phrasing caused people to groan and let out a faint cheer. I led Eliza into the city like a waiter in a restaurant. A crowd of onlookers breaks in, and I walk with Eliza through the crowd. Eliza keeps her imperial dignity intact as she walks along, looking out at the castle of Morek. It''s slower than a normal walk. Maybe it''s to preserve his dignity, or maybe it''s because he''s watching so closely. Or maybe it''s to show the people the emperor. Eliza walked about half as fast as she normally did. Eventually, when she had traveled about 100 meters down the main street, Eliza stopped. "That''s great, Sir Alexander. This is now a new world, an earthly paradise. The faint cheers grew louder. Excitement, too, was mixed in. The emperor, who is nothing but a heavenly dweller to his people, is praising the city they live in. No wonder they''re excited. "So it''s the power of the Lord. Eliza approached one of the lampposts and gently touched the pillar and looked up at the light. Thank God for happiness. Have you named this one yet? "Name, is it? I feel struck by Eliza''s question. A streetlight is a lamppost, and it never occurred to me to name it. I answered honestly. "No, not yet, sir. I see, then I''ll give you a name. The excitement and cheers got a little louder again. The very act of naming it, just as I had done before, has meaning. Even if it doesn''t have physical power, it adds authority, more than enough of a foil. That is what naming by the emperor is all about. "I thank you, Your Majesty, for your intentions. "National Father Light, no, it''s hard . Alexander ...... long. After mumbling something, Eliza looked me straight in the face and let out a half-declarative statement: "Alec''s light, then? "Alec''s light, how about that? "Your Majesty, it''s ...... Scowling. That''s embarrassing. "I hear you released it. No, it was the guy I asked-- "Do you know about Emperor Kars? I was interrupted by Eliza. The Emperor of Carus is ...... "His Majesty King Callus III, known as the founder of the Empire. "Hmmm. I don''t need to be lectured by the Lord to know that the Carus emperor not only restored the empire that had once been reduced to less than half its original size, but expanded it beyond its heyday - I don''t need to be lectured by the Lord. Eliza is right. This level of talk is common knowledge. You don''t need to ask the wise man''s sword, but it''s common knowledge. Why would Eliza use such common sense now at ......? The Emperor Kars has never been in battle in his life. Nor has he ever wielded a sword and killed one of his soldiers. "Yes ...... It''s also a famous story. "If we apply Sir''s logic, then the achievements of Emperor Kars are not his. "Ah, ...... Is that the story. This light, you ordered it to be made. You set the tone, there''s no doubt about it. "Yes. "Then this is your achievement. History will do. "...... "Sir Alexander Eliza looked at me. Her eyes were more serious than ever, stronger than ever. "Write your name in history, and I want to see it. "...... Got it. Eliza has a point. I accepted Eliza''s words and accepted to name it "Alec''s Light". And then, as soon as I did, I... --Wow! There was a great cheer in the city of Molech. "Behold, the people wanted it. Let your name go down in history. Eliza delicately explained the cheers with a smug look on her face. 152 06. Moving with 1 million Good People The great hall of the mansion. I was dressed in formal attire and kneeling on one knee in a hall that is only used for parties with other noblemen and others. Behind me is my father, and in front of me is an elderly minister I had seen at the palace. The minister unfolds the imperial edict and reads it in a clear and cheerful voice. The imperial decree is an order from the Emperor to me. The imperial decree is to leave Carlisle and settle the frontier lands of Avalon. There''s nothing wrong with that. With my knowledge of the wise men''s sword, I know that Avalon was a paradise in mythical times, but now it is a desolate land. It''s either reclaim or rebuild, and that''s what I''m going to do. Yet. The minister reads the rescript, the context changes abruptly. "The objective is to remain silent about the purpose, and the movement shall be done on foot. "...... to silence, walk away? As I was listening on one knee, I nodded my head and looked up at the minister. The minister seemed to have doubts about that, but he shrugged his shoulders and said. "Your Majesty specifically ordered it, so there must be some real intent. "I see. That means the minister doesn''t know either. Oh well, we''ll hear about it later (). I''m going to hang my head one last time and "Grateful happiness and stood up to receive the imperial edict. The imperial edict has now been duly received. Then the minister, who had completed his task, spoke to you in a friendly voice, different from when he read it. "Well, that''s what I''d call the vice-emperor, or rather, His Majesty the Father. His Majesty''s trustworthiness was evident in the text. After all, it''s Alec. Father, who had been watching excitedly while I was receiving the imperial order, joined the conversation. "Avalon," he said, "is also good. The whole empire will see that you have played your trump card. That''s exactly right. Father and the minister hit it off. They laughed at each other and walked out of the hall together. Huh?Is this a pattern of more delightful companions?What a thought. Alone in the hall, I summoned the maid. The maid emerged from the shadows, it was Eliza. She was dressed in a maid''s uniform and stood reverently with her hands in front of her body. If you don''t know what''s going on, she''d look 100% like a maid. I asked Eliza. How did you come to this imperial order? "His Majesty was in town in Molech the other day And the preamble, Eliza. When she is dressed as a maid, she has this to say about herself (the emperor). You said you wanted to make your master''s name go down in history. I''m sure it was part of it. I can see that. A mythical utopia whose name is preserved in the myths of the past--no, a re-creation. I don''t need to ask if I want to leave my name on that success. "I mean, why did I tell you to walk away? I know you don''t tell anyone what we''re doing. Now, a maid wouldn''t understand, but "Just? If you act accordingly, you''ll soon understand why. "I see. You will know for sure. Well, if it''s ordered, I''ll do it. And if it''s pioneering, it''s no different than anything else we''ve done. I got a lot of ideas. I thought about what I should do first. I''ll have to talk to my father. It''ll take some time if we''re going on foot. I''ve got to get all this Carlisle stuff back to him. "...... Maid Eliza said nothing, but bowed pell-mell and bowed. Thus, I steadily prepared to go to Avalon, handing over all of the Carlisle territory to my father. . Two weeks later, the day of departure. There were two carriages in the Carlisle mansion. One carriage is occupied by Angel and Sun. In the other carriage are Xiaomei, Mia, Mari and Lily and others. I don''t know how long it will take to get back, so I''ve decided to take everyone associated with me. I checked with Eliza, and she said I''ll be on foot, but the women were allowed to ride in the carriage, so that''s how it worked out. By the way, maids like Amelia are in the shadows and gods and angels like Astaroth are not here because they come when you call for them. Then father and mother, I''m going. Father and mother seeing me off in the garden, I said goodbye to them. Then I said. "Duh, I want to follow you!I want to see Alec''s heroics. You can''t, dear. You are on an important mission to protect what was entrusted to you by Alec. No, mother, the mission is not that big of a deal. You''re right!Hmm, I must have been born for this moment. So dad, it''s not that big of a deal . "You?It''s wrong. "Where? Alec''s not home, there is no greater responsibility than to take care of this. You were born to give birth to Alec. Compared to that, this is just a stipend, isn''t it? "-- for sure! The exchange between your father and your mother, an exchange that was a bit sad when you realized that it had become familiar and you wouldn''t be able to listen to it for a while. You watched it for a while, and then. Then I''ll be off. I said goodbye to my parents. I beat the horse pulling the carriage and set it in motion, following right beside it. I was leaving the mansion when I heard a loud noise. Oh, my God! A man came rushing in with a different complexion. He is a man in the service of the Carlisle family, an official in charge of the security of the city of Molech. Then he rushes into the house. "What''s the matter?What''s going on? "Hi, the person is "People? "People outside the city of Molech "...... ha! What''s the matter with people? To begin with, Molek has been inundated with tourists from all over the empire ever since the lampposts - Alec''s light - were created. It''s even rarer when there''s no one around the city. "I''ve counted, but I couldn''t!I think there are a hundred thousand of them! "What? This took me by surprise, as expected. Outside the city of Molech, there were, as reported, over 100,000 people there. All of them are preparing for their journey - no. They were either moving or carrying household goods on ox carts and the like. As soon as I appeared in front of those more than 100,000 people. woohoo! And there was a shout that shook the heavens and the earth. Angers peered out of the carriage they had brought with them, every one of them overwhelmed by the majesty of a hundred thousand people. ''We''re even more here than I expected. "Eliza! Eliza emerged from the city dressed as a ninja. Did Eliza do this? No, you did it. "Me?I didn''t do anything. This is the result of everything you''ve done so far. What do you mean? There is a rumor, originating from the Duke of Carlisle, that Alec is leaving for a while to settle new land. Alec is leaving for a while to explore new lands. Father ...... I chuckled. "Alec is finally in his own domain, and now it''s time for him to take a real leap of faith. Eliza continues with a smug look on her face. ." "These 100,000 people heard about it and came here. I knew there were a hundred thousand of them. They want to be Alec''s people. They want to be Alec''s people in the hope that if they follow you, they will gradually become the most advanced and prosperous land of the Empire, whatever that place may be. "I see. I see your point. If that''s the case, no problem. We were going to gather our people gradually through the settlement, but they''ll follow us from the start. In fact, I''d say it''s gotten easier. We''ve let them rot, but we''ve continued to gather them afterwards, and now we have plenty of food to feed them. No problem at all. "Huh?Speaking of which, "What? You know, you''re the one who told me to keep it to myself in anticipation of your father telling you off. Yes, I do. "So what do you want me to do on foot? Eliza grinned. She smiled, more proud than ever before. "From here to Avalon, we''ll pass through many cities. In the eyes of many people. Alexander Carlyle''s great migration of 100,000 people who loved him. It will be an episode that will surely go down in history. "...... I see. * Thus, I set out with two carriages and a hundred thousand people in tow. It was mostly as Eliza expected, but she had one miscalculation. By the time they reached Avalon, people from all over the world had heard the rumors and joined together one by one. In the end, their numbers nearly doubled. And history is made by the victors. Future generations will write that I took a million people and made an incredible migration. 153 07. Make the Road for 100,000 Good People I was on my way to my destination, with two carriages and a crowd of up to 100,000 people in tow. I glanced back. The open road, with its ups and downs, accentuated the number of the hundred thousand. The road was densely and endlessly filled with throngs of people. I thought to myself, "That was spectacular. "My lord, A maid came back from ahead. I don''t usually do this, but since we have a hundred thousand people with us, I had some of the maids ahead of me to act as scouts. One of them came back and walked backwards at the same speed, facing me. What''s the matter? "A short time ahead, the member viscount is waiting for you. "Member Viscount? The father of one of the maids of honor, Agnes Member. What about her? "Your father was passing through the territory and wanted to pay his respects. I was told that he was passing through. I see. Okay. I''ll take care of it. You go back to the shadows and rest. Let Agnes take over. At my command, the maid, having finished her report, squirmed into my shadow, and Agnes came out of the shadows in her place. And master? Go ahead and tell him our approximate arrival time. "I''ll get right to it. And let your father know you''re doing well. Thank you, thank you! Agnes looked thrilled and bowed to me and then went ahead of me. "Angel, can I have a word with you? "Yes, Mr. Alec. Angel is getting out of the carriage. "You can count on me, Mr. Alec. "Thank you Angers I called Angier for decorum. Down the road, the member baron will greet us, probably with a noble courtesy. In return, I''ve invited my not-yet-actual-wife, Angier, to join us. And Angier is well aware of that. I walk alongside Angel and continue on for a while, and I see the member, Viscount Member, Agnes, and several hundred soldiers waiting for me. I stopped in front of the member Viscount Member. The carriage came to a stop, and the people following behind it also stopped, buzzing. It''s good to see you, Viscount Member, since the village of Thanet. "I am delighted, The Member Viscount bowed his head. I caught a glimpse of the common people behind him scowling. It''s easy to see that I don''t understand the context of this exchange. Highborn conversations, because of my elevated position as a father of state, have become a formality-driven politeness without context. I don''t like that very much either, so I decided to have a proper conversation. "What''s the member Viscount here? "One is to greet Father Country . The other is ...... which I am truly sorry to hear. Hmm? When I heard rumors of this people''s procession, I wanted to see the unprecedented migration at least once. "I''m curious That makes sense. Immediately after starting the move, I asked the wise man''s sword, who has all the knowledge, if there was ever such a move. Had there ever been a move like this before. The answer was "no. It''s understandable that you''d be curious to see such a thing. It''s a marvel to witness firsthand ....... I thought I wouldn''t be surprised by what you''ve done, but I guess I''m still naive. I''m surprised too. As expected . While stopping to make small talk about old friendships with the member Viscount, suddenly, a maid from the crowd behind came running in. Hurried, but also graceful. The one who came running is also a young maid. It was Chosen Oin. "My lord. "What? "There is confusion, how can I help you? "Confusion?What''s the cause? Injuries. Some have sprained their feet due to bad roads, or have been injured due to a wheel stuck in a hole in the road, such as an ox cart, "Hole in the road?It wasn''t, but--no. I was about to say, and then I thought better of it. That wouldn''t have happened when I was in the lead. But a hundred thousand people in line, and in such a short time. The road gets worse and worse as we walk. What do we do now?If we don''t, the whole thing will be affected. Yeah, so Chosen. "Yes. I made the magic sphere. The magic sphere I learned when I first studied magic. I made them with the healing attribute so that they could be used by others. There are roughly 100 of them. I gave it to Chosen. I''ll leave it with you. I want you to heal anyone who''s hurt. I understand. The former arrogance has faded and Chosen is now loyal to my orders. On the other hand, she hasn''t lost her noblewomanly dignity - if anything, her attributes have changed modestly, but she''s grown stronger. I''m a little pleased to see that she''s grown in a positive direction. Well. I looked ahead. We still have a long way to go to get to Avalon. People will be hurt if we keep this up. We need to make sure that this doesn''t happen. Viscount Member, you''ll have to open up a bit. "Yes ......, what are you going to do? You do this. Seeing that the members Viscount and Agnes and their soldiers had been moved to the side, he drew his wise man''s sword on his back and paid it off sideways. Slashes fly. The path I was on was flattened cleanly by the slash. Oh!In a matter of seconds. I''ve never seen a road like this before. "We''ll keep working on it. If the roads are in order, you''re less likely to get injured. I see, you''re good. "Um, Mr. Alec, Angier, who had been remaining respectfully silent all this time, opened his mouth. ''Yes, Angel? "It''s good that Alec-sama is working on the road like that, but I still think the road will be ruined along the way when a hundred thousand people pass by. "In that case, I smiled at Angier. After all, Angel is a good, kind-hearted kid. Remember when we first learned about magic? Yes, I remember everything that happened with Master Alec. Secretly happy to say. "Then you learned about transmutation. Then he took a few steps forward, crouched down and tapped his middle finger on the road, which he had been accustomed to with a slash. There was a clear, clean sound. "I''m converting matter as I''m making it, and I''m getting it right. "It''s true ......, that''s Mr. Alec I must say, Angelica-sama is also very kind, but I have to say, I''m sorry to see your father''s distant view of the world ahead of you. "...... "What''s up Angel?With a difficult face while staring at the road. "Um, Mr. Alec, What is it? "Can''t you soften it more?If it''s very stiff, your feet might get sore when you walk. I know, shoes get sore feet when they''re hard. "Yes. The sturdier and softer, the better. It should be sturdy and soft. I thought for a moment, put together Angel''s suggestion in my head, and listened to the wise man''s sword. Then I swung my sword again and changed the path to a material that met Angier''s request. "Here we are. "Yes!I think it''s okay! Angel smiled happily. He patted the gentle Angel''s head. The happiest thing in the life of an SSS-ranked person might be meeting Angel. On Angel''s advice. The injuries of the 100,000 people were almost gone from now on. 154 08. Good men win without fighting With 100,000 people in tow, we proceeded further toward Avalon. The overstretched hundred thousand were quite conspicuous. Like the member viscount, they were greeted by nobles on the way. In the agricultural area we passed, the peasants all stopped and stared at us, wondering what was going on. "That''s another thing Eliza has planned. "Your sister? Angier, who was getting out of the carriage and walking side by side, responded with a murmur. Compared to the city, the peasants don''t have many daily amusements. One of the few pastimes they have is gossiping. It''s also proof that people are more intimately connected to each other. "Rumor, is it? Yes, rumors. And the rumors of the peasants tend to be exaggerated. I mean, look at this, maybe a million people, or ten million people, or so the number will continue to grow with the rumors. That''s what Eliza is trying to do. That''s what she''s trying to do, to stick a big rumor on me. "I see! The nobles must have calculated it well. If it''s just a rumor about the peasants, it''s not credible, but all the nobles will be natural witnesses. That''s my sister. Yes. I feel like things are going perfectly in Eliza''s favor. It''s even more refreshing to come this far. Master! A maid''s voice came from behind me, and I stopped and turned around to see a sweaty maid running in, out of breath. Out of breath, a sweaty maid rushed in. "What''s the matter? "And the bandits. The people are being attacked at the rear. "Thieves? "Yes!They are taking the property of the people and the sustenance that the masters have distributed. "...... so His brow furrowed as he listened. The rations I used to collect in the Alexander lands. I distributed it beforehand for the 100,000 people who would follow us on our way. It wasn''t efficient if I had to distribute it every time I used it, so I distributed it for the number of days I had planned in advance. I see. Hundreds of thousands of people, their wealth and sustenance. It looks like tasty prey to a thief. I''m going to kill them, and Angel''s back in the carriage in case it''s too dangerous. Don''t worry, there is no danger, because Master Alec is there. Angel, who believes in me. Without the slightest hesitation in your eyes. "I see. Then I''ll be right back, and I''ll be right back. "Yes! Nodding Angier, I kicked the earth and ran back through the line of people. Several kilometers back through the long line, I saw a commotion. A band of armed thieves is literally looting. The front of the line is running away and the back is standing still. The bandits have completely disrupted the line. We''re hurt, and there''s no time to lose. I draw my wise men''s sword and dive in faster. "Enough! From the depths of his gut, he let out a loud, magic-boosted cry. That''s when the people and the bandits stopped moving. I slashed at one of the thieves who was struggling to take something from the people. The thief reacted to me by pointing his sword, which was pointed at my people, at me. I cut him off and pushed him back, coming between the bandit and his people. There was a cheer. There was a mixture of relief and welcome from the people as I came to their rescue. It was with that cheer that I faced the bandit. I appeared, and the bandits gathered. There are less than 100 of them, surprisingly many. Just as I was thinking about how to get rid of them, two of the closest bandits jumped at me. They jumped in front of me from left and right and slashed at me with their long swords. Arc with the sage''s sword. You have to ward off the two slashes and guide them back in the same way as before. The bandit is pushed back and lands, uninjured, his sword unbroken, pushed back by the mysterious swordsmanship - and his face turns red in a flash of anger. He was about to jump at me. "Wait for me! A thick voice stopped them. The group of thieves broke apart, and in the center stood a man. A man with a beard and an air of distinction. It could be the leader. If we can get rid of him, we won''t have to fight a futile battle. I tried not to provoke him and see how the man would react. I make all kinds of assumptions and plans in advance. But the unexpected response came. A bright-eyed boy and a nobleman with a jeweled ornamental sword. Aren''t you Master Alexander? When I stopped him with a blackmailer, his tone was rough, but he was covetous to me, and asked, "Yes, I''m Alexander Carlyle. Yes, I''m Alexander Carlyle. "Oh! The man''s eyes widened and his men buzzed. The next thing I knew, I was in for a complete surprise. Surprisingly, a whole band of thieves came to kneel to me! What does that mean? I''ve always wanted to meet you for a long time. "Did you want to meet me? "Yes . I have secretly admired his power, his wisdom, and above all his virtues. I''ve always secretly admired his power, his wisdom, and above all, his virtues. The leader man bows his head, and the other thieves look at me with intense eyes. "Hey! "Hey! A man shucks his chin and returns what the thieves had taken from him. "I am very sorry to not know about the procession of Master Alexander. The sequence of events. The people who saw it cheered. "We settled it without a fight. It''s coming back to you. "Wow, that''s great, Father. I ask the man, with my back to him, "Why are you doing this? ...... why are you doing this? "Out of necessity. . in a famine a few years ago. "I see. Short words, but a rough idea. History has often shown that people of good birth can fall in a single famine. And one more. I have conveyed it well in short words. The man is a noble, knowledgeable and wise type. Perhaps he was a reasonable man of knowledge before he fell as a thief. "My apologies, my lord. And then the men who are about to leave. Wait. "I wonder--oh, that was rude. You''ve been rude to Master Alexander and you haven''t been able to repay him yet. The man then gave a glance to his subordinate and took the sword. He swung it down at the base of his arm. . and then he swung the sword down to the base of his arm--. Quickly he pulled out his wise man''s sword and dispelled it. "What are you doing? "I don''t care about that. I have more questions than that. "Yes ...... anything. "Would you like to return to a proper profession?Although by the looks of it, there are a lot of farmers out there. "I don''t have the land, the farm tools, or the money to buy rice seeds, so I''m doing this business that doesn''t require resources. That''s why I''m doing this business that doesn''t require any money from me. A business that requires no capital - thieves. Interesting choice of words. I''ll take care of all that stuff. "...... We''ve already done a lot of bad things. That''s why. Yes, that''s why. I want to help the scoundrel or at least the person who is willing to convert. I don''t know. The men looked at each other. Soon they were all kneeling before me. "All are with you, Alexander. The return of the bandit without a fight elicited more cheers from the people. 155 09. Good people improve public order without doing anything After daylight, the people made camp together. At the head of the camp I pitched a large tent and rested the women I had brought with me in it. Outside the tent, near a fire I had built, I received a report from Amelia, the head maid, who said, "There were three assaults today. Today there were three counts of assault, two counts of burglary and robbery, and one other, bringing the total number of crimes to six. "Yes. I nodded. I''m getting reports from Amelia of trouble with the people who followed us. With 100,000 people, these things happen here and there. Particularly as our journey has gotten longer, we''re getting tired and fidgety, so we''re starting to get into quarrels here and there. We can''t leave them alone, we have to do something about it. What shall we do?If you want to put magic handcuffs on me, I''ll get them all. "Leave it to us. A man''s voice interrupted. A middle-aged man''s face lights up red behind the bonfire. A former bandit leader whom I had convinced a while ago to come back. A man by the name of Guy Littlewhiner. You got it? "Rough and tumble, do us the dirty work, please Guy looks at me like that. Well, you thought you could get that position. I thought for a moment. I could stop the crime with severe punishment, but Eliza is going to show my "humanity" to the world on this trip. I like the idea of taking advantage of it. Magic cuffs and other magic would be fine, but here it''s even better. I thought about it for a minute and said to Amelia and Guy, "Amelia, we''re in trouble. "Amelia, I think you know the people who caused the problem. "Yes. "Then tell it to Guy. Guy. "Ha! "Get them all together and take them to the back of this crowd. "...... the tail end, is it? Guy wonders. Yeah, last place. I''ll leave it up to you to decide, but stick to the end of the line and don''t put it in front of it. "...... Yes, Guy was unsure, but didn''t bite, he heard from Amelia and walked away. "So, Amelia, "Yes. "Food distribution, the people who caused the problem are clearly the last to go. "Do you want to reduce? "No, no, that''s enough. Just make sure it''s clear and final. I understand. Amelia was no more confused than Guy. The longer you''ve been my maid, the more you trust me, I can tell by your behavior. I have to repay that trust. Stars A few days later, as I was proceeding with the people, Amelia quietly came alongside. "Master Alec, "Hmm?What''s going on? I''m happy to report that there have been no problems at all in the last few days at ....... I''m glad. "Dear Alec, what have you done? Do you think so? Look at Amelia walking beside me and smirk. I don''t know what I might have done, but I have no idea what I''ve done. If you feel that way about Amelia, then this thing worked. People have a tendency to imagine things they don''t understand and can''t see, you know. But on the outside, that''s okay. I believe in Amelia, and I felt I had to confide in her when she looked troubled. Did you know that Amelia is invincible? "Is this about Mr. Alec? Amelia to answer immediately. It''s also trust, but I smiled and denied it. "No, it''s not. It''s about someone who has nothing to lose and is on the verge of tears. "I see. For example, Lily and Mari . Those two guys you had a chat with a while ago. Do you think they are stealing or committing crimes now? "I don''t think Amelia answered immediately. ''Why?'' "Because then Master Alec will abandon me. "Yes. Technically I''m not abandoning you, but, well, that''s not what I''m talking about right now. That''s what it''s all about. It''s an unconscious calculation that people make, weighing up what they have to gain by committing a crime with what they have to lose. But if you are invincible, you have nothing to lose, so you can commit crimes with impunity. Having said all that, I glanced back. Almost all of my followers have a glimmer of hope in their eyes. "My followers are counting on me, that their lives will be better if they follow me. Definitely will be. Thank you. Also trust, while smiling back at it. In other words, you must be afraid of being abandoned by me. And I''ve put the people who committed the crimes in last place. With the message that you don''t have to abandon me, you will be last in line. "I see!Alec''s utopia, who wouldn''t want to enter it? Amelia seems to understand. "That''s what I thought. That''s what I mean." "We''ll back people who do the crime, and possibly turn them away. Just by spreading those rumors, you can create the kind of situation that Amelia is seeing right now where the crime rate goes down. "I see, you''re the man, Alec!No magic, no power, just bringing the guilty to the back of the line to curb crime. Amelia was impressed. If it had to be explained from the inside, it would be increasingly difficult to understand it from the outside. And in fact, almost no crimes of any kind occurred until I arrived at Avalon after this, with no evidence that I used any force at all. I didn''t do anything, but the crime was gone, and my reputation rose in the direction Eliza wanted it to go. 156 10. Good people develop new drugs "Dear Alec, I have something to report. At night, while I was camping again this day, my maid Amelia came to me. She has a serious look on her face, an unusual expression for a woman who is learning to be a head maid and gaining her composure. Yes, what? In fact, we suspect an epidemic in the middle of the queue. "...... I see. We knew that this too would come one day. With 100,000 people, I knew that with this many people stuck together for so long, it was only a matter of time before there was an epidemic or an epidemic or something like that. So I didn''t panic and asked Amelia back. "What''s the situation? Sick people are grouped in one place to some extent. There are doctors, but I''ve never seen any symptoms or anything like that. I see. ...... Then take me there. "--Yes! Amelia led the procession back. "Alexander-sama! "Father of the Nation! Amelia leads me back, and on the way back, I''m cheered one by one by the people who are also camping. The cheers grew stronger and stronger. The closer you get to the quarantine where the sick are gathered, the louder the cheers become. Eventually, they were brought into a large tent, which seemed to branch off from the procession, several dozen meters away. "This is awful, The tent was full of sick people lying in it, and at a glance there were more than a hundred of them. Ah!This is Father of the Nation! A nurse, a middle-aged man, came running up to me and Amelia. "You are? "Red Ocean. I''m a practicing doctor. I see. Do you know why? I''m getting reports from Amelia, but I asked her again because things might have changed. I''m embarrassed to say that ...... "I see. You still don''t understand. I looked at the sick man closest to me. He whimpered in pain and then grabbed a tray beside him and threw up on it. He threw up so much that he couldn''t take any more water and was just groaning. He even had diarrhea. The other sick people are in the same boat, and the tent is ablaze with excitement. Let''s find out what''s going on. Do you also have some knowledge of medicine, Father? The middle-aged doctor was surprised. "Not strictly speaking, but we''ll see. I bent down and pulled a hair out of the suffering sick man. Father!If you touch it, you can catch it-- "Quietly, please watch. The doctor tries to stop me, but Amelia gently holds him back. Her actions are soft, but her tone and expression are strong, as if she were talking to you. The pressurized doctor, unsure of what to do, eventually stopped moving. All the while, I continued to act. Using the hair of the sick man, I made a homunculus of the sick man, using materials I had pulled from the bag. And then - compare. The homunculus was compared with a hair-based homunculus () that was exactly the same as the sick person''s () body. The homunculus is his "foundation". The homunculus is his "extra" in comparison. I compared the extra material to the homunculus to determine what the extra material () was compared to the homunculus. The sick man''s lower abdomen glowed. I put my hand gently on the light, and the light moved into my hand. Then the light subsided. Ta! The doctor was astonished to see what was left in my palm. "It''s a bug. In the palm of my hand was a worm, a parasite. It was crawling with them. A parasite in his belly, which means water, which means "...... What do you think? "Huh?Ahhh!Yeah, right! The exasperated doctor, upon further inquiry, came to his senses. I guess so. "Yeah, this bug would-- It''s easy to deal with if the real thing is right in front of you. Ask the wise man''s sword for the names of the bugs and what to do with them. The wise man''s sword has all the knowledge that exists in this world. He immediately tells me the name of the worm and the knowledge of how to make a potion to get rid of it from the body. ...... I made a little thought and medicine. Put your hand into the bag of ingredients and make the pills with the materials you need. The next time I put out my hand, there were hundreds of pills the size of a pea in my palm that I could chew on. Here, give this to everyone. "I get it!I''ll get the people here to drink right away. "No, to everyone. I held out my hand and Amelia approached me. I handed all the pills to Amelia and reached into my bag of materials again to make and take out the same number of pills. The first one alone was more than the number of patients already here, but from there I added more. My words and actions. The doctor sees it and shakes his head. "Guys? "Yes. I gave it to Amelia again and made a third dose. Of course, the people who have the disease are preferred, but let the people who haven''t take it take it too. "You''re building up a resistance to bugs, A convincing-looking doctor, that would be a judgment based on his medical common sense, but . No, it''s not. This medicine doesn''t work unless you have this worm inside your body, and it stays inside your body. And if it gets in, it works. "Huh? Surprised doctor, with a pouty face. What do you mean by ''stay''?What about digestion and excretion? I won''t. "Yeah, I''ve heard of such a drug: ...... Stunned doctor. That''s what I just made. Recently, there has been a slight change in my thinking. The sword of the wise man who has all knowledge, but it is Knowledge Now. Since the development of Alec''s light--the lamppost, I''ve been thinking "one step further". And so is this medicine. Not just to heal now, but to heal the future. That''s what I made. Come on, we''ll make more and more, and you can pass them out. "Yes, yes! The doctor, who was ahead of his time in medicine, nodded with respectful eyes. 157 11. Good people attract talent I don''t know if I''m laughing at the doctor''s ill health. In the small tent, the doctor was lying in bed with a blue face. I came to visit him and he tried to get up on his elbows. You don''t have to get up. You don''t have to get up. A woman nursing a patient near a doctor--who appears to be his wife--said to him, "Is this the kind of person you are? "Is she like that? Yes, that''s the kind of person I am. I''d say I have a doctor''s temperament. ...... So just tie me up. And you won''t have to do any etiquette with me in the future. Finally, as a nobleman and father of the country, he said in a commanding tone. Still the doctor man tried to say something, but his wife bowed lightly and said, "Thank you. Thank you, sir. You see, disobeying your father''s orders? I silenced the doctor by saying. I''m here to see a doctor who''s been busy with an epidemic of parasitic diseases in the procession, and he''s fallen ill. You don''t mean the medicine didn''t work?Or a mutation in the parasite? When I came in, everyone could see clearly that there was an overworked doctor. I''m disappointed. "It''s not good to stay too long. I''m sorry. I''ll let you get some rest. The wife said and patted her husband on the head with a snap. I could see the power relationship between the two of them, I think I can handle it. With that in mind, I reached into my food bag and pulled out a pea-sized piece of food I had made and handed it to the wife. What''s this? We haven''t given it a name yet, but in a nutshell, it''s ''very digestible and nutritious food''. I will feed you as your body recovers. As your body recovers, I''ll feed you. "Yes. Is it because she''s a doctor''s wife or because she''s a smart woman by nature? She understood the meaning of what I had given her, and in an instant she said what was best for her. Leaving the doctor and his wife behind, I left the tent. Outside, the people are going on. A line of a hundred thousand people, separated by days at the head and the tail, is one that you won''t be "left" behind if you''re sick and resting in your tent. Watching such a procession somehow, I thought, "That''s a bad type of goodness. That''s a bad kind of good guy. "Eliza Eliza came alongside. The guise was that of a regular snob. "Are you catching up? It''s a historical journey, whenever we can be together. Okay. What''s a worse type of good guy?Isn''t it good to be a good person? It''s the next life . If you''re a good person, you''ll be ranked higher in the final assessment, and the next life is sure to pay off. "Yes. But just because you''re a good person doesn''t mean you''ll be rewarded in this life. It''s ...... right. I wonder why, I think for some reason. Before I could answer, Eliza explained to me. "It''s the kind of thing that makes bad people come to you because you give it to them unconditionally, beyond your limits". "I see. Alec is different. I''ll get out as much as I can, while I get my recovery and growth right. ...... Yeah, I know. That way, they won''t wither away, and they''ll gather around you, not for profit, but for their own growth. You''re surrounded by people like that. Oh, yeah, right. That''s what I''ve been told. I''m surrounded by people who can do it. Eliza was right, there are many people who are talented and capable. It''s a long and logical story that can be summed up in one word. One word? "Human Virtue Eliza smiles at him. "Alec''s virtue is what brings people together. You can''t see it, but it''s something really cool. I thought it was because of the rank of your soul, of your birth. "You''re an idiot, Alec. What an idiot. In your words, the emperor is S-rated. "Yes. If a virtuous circle is always created with an S-rank, then no tyrant should be born with an F in reincarnation. "I see. Your abilities are good deeds from a previous life, but the fact that you''re surrounded by people is what makes you who you are. Eliza said and watched the people continue to progress. An unspoken voice could be heard. Humans gather. Not only in quality, but in quantity. A hundred thousand people gathered by my personality. I can almost hear Eliza wanting to say that. You came to tell me that. "Not quite. "Hmm?How is it different? I''ve come to see it. "To see This is what I came to see how awesome you are. Eliza said, and the people and me. His eyes became more and more entranced. 158 12. Good people cleanse the land "Stop. As I stopped saying this, first the two carriages stopped, and then the people following behind stopped. What is it, Master Alec? Jumping from the carriage, Angel comes to my side. That one. "What in the sky ...... wow!It was incredibly chilling. Angier hugged himself with his arms. As he said, he shuddered as he said it, because it was visually evident. Ahead in the direction we were going, the sky was filled with dark clouds of misfortune. It wasn''t the usual bad weather or anything. It''s something more sinister. Come on out, guys. In response to the summons, all the maids came out of my shadow. By the way, Dorothy and Lotus are still in the shadows. These two are also separate from the maids, and they need to be called out individually to come out. After calling only the maids, I turned to them and said to Amelia, the head maid, who led the way. I''ll take the lead in case something goes wrong. I''ll leave the line to you. You lead at your discretion. I''ll chase after you when you''re okay. I''ll catch up with you when it''s okay. "Yes. "Dear Alec!Take me too! As I was about to go ahead alone, Angier offered to accompany me. To be honest, I felt the presence of danger and shuddered at first glance, and Angier asked me to come along. Yes, come with me. "Yes! Angel with a happy smile. I took Angier and moved on with them. The air, the atmosphere was slowly deteriorating. "There''s something scary going on here. Yeah, I feel the same way. Angier''s senses are keen. Along the way, the environment got worse and worse. It''s not just the wasteland. The trees and plants are dead and the swamp has become a poisonous purple swamp. Everywhere there''s a miasma that can cause illness if inhaled by humans. There is something ahead as Angel felt. You know what, Mr. ...... Alec? Hmm? I''m sorry if I''m wrong. Didn''t you say you were going to make it to Avalon? Yeah, I checked the map last night and it says it''s about time. "Could it be ...... here? Good point, Angel. Yes, geographically we are already in an area called ''Avalon''. "Ah, ...... Angier blurted out. I knew it, I knew it. Is this the Avalon called Utopia?The voice that leaked the two emotions mingled. Those two emotions were mixed together in a voice that escaped. I''m surprised, too. I''ve been prepared to a certain extent because I heard the area needed to be cleared, but I''ve heard it''s far worse than that. As I continued on, I found myself in a wide open area. Ugh. ...... Angel held his mouth and wobbled a little. I held on to Angel and supported her. Are you okay? "I''m sorry, Mr. Alec. "Never mind. Is it better than that? "Yes, it''s okay ......, but more importantly, it''s terrible here: ...... "Oh. I nodded. The scene that opened up in front of me, it was even worse than I had imagined on the way here alone with Angel, noticing the horror. It was like--hell. The sky was black with occasional flashes of lightning. Corpses of rotting animals were lying everywhere and something that didn''t seem to be a miasma or a miasma was spewing from the ground here and there. The land is desolate and poisonous. It''s not a place for humans to live. It''s terrible. "Yes ...... "Hmmm, I don''t know what to do, I didn''t expect this much, I thought. I just went to ...... and I said, "You know what? "Not again, humans! "Huh? It was neither me nor Angel, but a voice that I had never heard before. A voice with a spiraling grudge. When I turned to the voice, I saw a mermaid from a lake with a color like a poisonous swamp?There was a creature that looked like a . Hee! It is questionable because it is only half in its original form. Every part of the body is rotting away, and even the bones are visible. The lower half of the body is mostly bone, but only some flesh is left on the body just barely enough to show that it''s like a fish. Frankly, it''s a mystery to me how you''re still alive. Are you ...... a ghost?Or is it God? Ask me. No human or monster would ever live in that state. "Curse you, human. Get out of here. "Do you hate ...... people? "Get out! I couldn''t make conversation. I was on one side, and he jumped at me with muddy eyes. "Master Alec! "Angier stay with me "--Yes! Protecting Angier, she caught the mermaid''s attack as she jumped at him with her wise sword. A swift, heavy blow. It was heavy enough to drive her foot into the ground. But it didn''t last long enough. Just as I blocked the attack, the mermaid fell to the ground. She seemed to be on the verge of death. Oh, my God! Angel stepped forward and squatted in front of the mermaid. She held out her hand and cast a healing spell. Angel with an S-ranked soul. After years of training in healing magic against the Calamity, he has become as good a user of healing magic as I am. I''m going to look around for a while, just to make sure that the healing magic isn''t counterproductive. "Angel, let Angel handle that one. "Yes! Angier enthusiastically cast more healing spells. If it''s not counterproductive, I''m fine leaving the rest to Angel. I''ll be able to help you. As a result of Angel casting a healing spell on the mermaid, the miasma swirling around her has been driven out of her body and she''s looking better. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make your life easier. Then we''ll remedy that. I don''t know why they attacked us, no matter what, and I don''t know if they''re just trying to bare their malice to the humans. I don''t know, but I do know that this is not a good environment. I will hold my wise man''s sword to the ground and explore the entire land. ...... I could see the wrinkles between my eyebrows creasing as hard as I could. I felt a god-class power. It''s been working deep underground, producing negative miasma and poisons. So the state of this land is a kind of divine punishment. It was--it was not pleasant, to say the least. I don''t know what happened, but it makes me sick to do this to the land itself. The wise man''s sword. "O Unusually, it began with a call. The power of the gods at work deep in the earth is so powerful that you must take it seriously. With your wise man''s sword held out, close your eyes and expand your magic circle to increase your power. Reaching toward the divine power buried deep in the earth, you unleash your power. Purification. The strength is of the god class, but it is completely negative. There it is amplified by the wise man''s sword--a baboon kane--and infused with positive power to purify it. I got resistance from the negative force. When I cut the fruit, there was a seed in the middle, a resistance like that. I poured in more cleansing power, and my power swallowed it. I opened my eyes. After purifying the other side, my power overflowed. It comes to earth and cleanses the poisonous swamps and other impurities. Poisons, corpses, and so on, they dissolve and become light ascending into the sky. All right, that''s it. Now that mermaid will live normally without suffering... --Oh, oh, oh! I was startled. I was so startled that I suddenly heard a huge cheer from behind me and I was startled. I turned around and saw the people. Somehow the people I had stopped came in, and as far as I could see, they were all cheering and shouting, their eyes shining. What''s going on?And I went to Amelia to lead the way. "Why did you bring me here, Amelia? "I sensed through my magic that the master had started something. Amelia says it like it''s nothing. You look down for a moment, then remember Amelia''s words. I''ll come after you when it''s okay. I''ll come after you when it''s okay. You decided it was okay because I started doing something. I''m not so sure about that. It''s your master. Amelia was able to say it simply, in complete confidence. 159 13. Fostering Good Men and Wife The people''s cheers continue. The cheers became a wave, gradually spreading backward. Word spread so fast that even those who hadn''t seen anything were cheering. It didn''t seem to be going away for a while, so I left it to Amelia and went back to Angier. Angel''s treatment was in its final stages. The mermaid may be limp and unconscious, but her body has been repaired, at least visibly. The tattered flesh that had been melted and scraped off to reveal the bones has been restored. ...... style. The light of healing subsided, and Angel wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Good job, Angel. "Dear Alec! Angel came running toward me happily when he was called out to me. "You look like you''re on the mend, The visible injuries are all over ...... maybe okay, but ...... I walked up to the mermaid and stared for a moment. "Yes ...... this is all right now. I think Angel should be a little more confident. "Are you confident that ......? Wide-eyed, wide-eyed and puzzled, Angier. Modesty is one of her virtues, but I think it''s time to have some confidence in some things. I want to see that kind of Angier. I can assure you that your healing magic is among the best in the world. "Such a ...... "You don''t believe me? "What?No, it''s not. Angier gasped. That''s good. I assure you, Angel is one of the six best in the world. When it comes to healing magic. "Six fingers, is it? A puzzled face Angel. Six fingers is not a normal expression. "Yes, six. You''d have five fingers if it weren''t for me. Too bad. "I am not sorry!No wonder you''re no match for Master Alec. I see. Then you should try your best to pass someone else''s and become one of the top five. Yes, I''ll do my best. A small gut-punching pose with both fists clasped together at the chest, Angel . "With Mr. Alec, on the five fingers ...... I''d say Angier trusts me, and I''m a believer. That should inspire and give you confidence at the same time. One of the five fingers - just a little more to be on a par with me. You''re the sixth greatest user in the world, and it must have rubbed off on you. I saw a slight change in Angel''s eyes as he stared at his hand after striking a fist pump. Let''s not say it yet. Let''s not tell him for a while longer that he''s really second in the world, behind me. Instead, I''ve decided to give him a little more confidence. I held out my hand and pulled something out. It''s about the size of a small watermelon in the palm of my hand. "What is it, Alec? "What do you think Angel is?It''s kind of a tough one to judge. "Difficult, is it? Angier tilted his head and began to observe the ball. These weren''t just balls, they had a poisonous color on the outside. It was purple, the same color as the swamp, and very poisonous. Normally, I would have dismissed it as a lump of poison. "Is this the outside? Being well versed in healing magic and sensitive to ''life'', Angel sensed it. You''re right, that''s good Angel. It''s not easy to see through this. Is that so? This one () would be difficult for Angel, but it still has a human intent. The intention is to deliberately cover the outside with this toxic stuff and hide the inside from something. "I see. That''s why it''s so hard to understand. Only Angel can figure that out in this situation. That''s Angel. "Oh, thank you, Mr. Alec. Angier''s cheeks burned, but he looked pleased. This is something I noticed when I cleansed the land and avoided at first. Now Angier. The will of man, and what was probably hidden in this land. Doesn''t this feel anything to you? "...... oh Angel, who had been staring at the ball for a while, huffed and took a quick look at the still unconscious mermaid. ''That''s him. "Correct Reaching out the hand that wasn''t holding the ball, he patted Angier''s head. "Yes, this mermaid''s will. She must be hiding this from something to protect it. "I didn''t know that. "Well done, that''s a lot of angers. "Dear Alec: ...... Angier looked more and more pleased, cheeks flushed with glee. 160 14. Good people, look ahead and develop tolerance Glancing at the mermaid, it''s not going to happen yet. Now that you mention it, let''s teach Angel one more thing. Do you know what happens to Angelenos as their resistance to attributes grows? "Attribute resistance?Disable Angier replied without any hesitation at all. Yes, deactivation. After all, Angier has worked so hard against Calamity for so many years. "Yes, I will one day surpass Lord Calamity''s resistance to healing! Cheerful Anger. Calamity, the guardian dragon of the empire. The body has a high "anti-healing resistance" that makes ordinary healing magic impossible to avoid. Hence, Angier knows exactly where attribute resistance ends up. Of course, Calamity''s doesn''t go as far as nullifying it, so Angel can do his best - but that''s another story. "But don''t you feel like there''s something on top of the nullification? "What is it, sir? Yes, something. Beyond Disabled (). "--Ha! Angel gasping for breath. At first he looked at me blankly, but then he huffed when I said "further out". That''s what I''m doing these days, I guess you could say. Knowing everything with technology, knowledge and a wise man''s sword, I''ve started to go further into the world of omniscience. Or perhaps it''s more of a development. Knowing that, and being pointed out to me, Angier thought seriously. I have thought about it, but. I''m sorry, Mr. Alec, but I don''t know what ...... is. "That''s okay. Let me demonstrate. "Huh?Can you even do that anymore? Angel''s apologetic expression changed and his eyes widened in surprise. I smile back and look around. Then I see a drop of poison on the waist-high grass. Angie, put a drop of grass on my arm. Be careful not to touch yourself. "Yes, yes Angier wondered, but still followed my words. I carefully plucked the grass and let the drops of venom drip down my arm, where I''d rolled up my sleeve. As soon as the poison touched my skin, it glowed. It glowed, as if it was being sucked into my body. Then Angier saw it. ...... healing? Angier, who is good at healing magic, understood at first glance what was happening. "Yes, healing. Healing, the phenomenon. When your resistance to an attribute goes to the limit, it heals when you receive it. That''s similar to absorption. So it is. ...... Angier is amazed. I don''t know how this works, but Angier has reached a level where it''s time to master a genre - healing. If I tell him this beforehand, maybe something will come of it. Thinking of Angel''s further development. "You! Suddenly, a shout interrupted me and Angier. It''s a mermaid. The mermaid, who was unconscious a moment ago, is awake and shouting at us. Oh, don''t shout too loudly or you''ll get-- "Shut up!You people, get out of here now. This place--oh! Right after I yelled, the mermaid pointed at me and yelled at me in a different way. Yes, my body is back, and if you can scream that loud, you''ll be okay. Now that she''s okay, she points to the ball I had been holding all along. Where did you get that?No, it doesn''t matter!Let it go now and put it back in place! "It''s okay, calm down. "Just put it back--ah! screamed. The mermaid looks up to the sky. The sky was swirling and the mermaid''s face was tinged with despair as she looked at it. Let it-- As soon as he said it, lightning struck from the sky. I''ve heard that one before. --d*mnation. I''d been following it for a while, the god of creation''s d*mnation. It was a straight shot. I lightly threw my ball into the air. You! Astonishing mermaids . A bolt of divine punishment struck the ball that was shot directly overhead. "Oh, ahhhhh ......, my Lord ...... A gulp, a mermaid nodding in despair. So that ball was her master. What have you done?I will!The Lord''s lineage that I have carefully and discreetly guarded for hundreds of years! In desperation, and then it grabbed me. "Oh, I see, so you''re an egg. "You know what? Yes, I knew the moment I touched it. You''ve taken a piece of skin outside and turned it into poison to camouflage it. A ball of poison that would never be found if it were in a swamp. "Don''t explain with a smile!Because of you! "Explain it to me because I can afford it, "Huh? A pompous mermaid. To say that your anger is gone for the time being is also a sign that you are calm. I pointed to the sky so that she could see. She turned and looked up in the direction I was pointing. Lord! There was that ball. It was still floating in the sky, catching the thunder of d*mnation. It didn''t just keep getting it. A light was generated, and it was taken in--. "Master Alec!It''s tolerant! That''s Angel. Yes, the same as before. I made that ball more resistant. "Ta, sei? Meanwhile, the unfamiliar mermaid was stunned. I knew right away when I was cleansing the land. I knew right away when I was cleansing this land. That''s why I put a trick up in my jade. "Well, that means ...... that the ball is safe from now on for a long time to come! "--Ha! A huffing mermaid in response to Angel''s words. There was still surprise in his eyes as he looked at me, but a definite sense of gratitude was slowly emerging in them. 161 15Thinking of the Good and the Good I was descending a flight of stairs that led down endlessly. There was no pedestal or support, and the stairs seemed to be floating in the air. ...... Angel, who was coming down with me, looked down anxiously and squeezed my sleeve. "It''s okay, Angel. I''ll be there for you. "--Yes! It wasn''t a magic word, but it took the fear out of Angers with that word. He''s still holding on to my sleeve, but it''s more of a desire to be skinny dipping with me than an escape from fear. Relieved, Angier and I climbed down further. There''s that mermaid in front of us. The mermaid holds her ball and dexterously walks down the stairs with her lower body. Just when I began to wonder if the stairs would go on forever, we saw the end point. After a long descent, there was a space with a clean and mysterious air that reminded me of the ''spiritual land'' of Silvermoon. Wow. ...... It''s not normal, but perhaps because there is no malice or harm in it, Angier looked around with pure interest only. Then the mermaid placed her ball on a pedestal in the center of the space. The ball---lighted. It pulsed and flashed. Then the air changed even more, became thicker. The calm that had been so serene earlier became more intense, its nature intact. "What is this? "The Lord is pleased. This is the throne, and I know that the Lord has returned to the place where he should return for the first time in hundreds of years. Even if it''s only for a short time before he returns to his original place due to some attribute change. "I see. I guess it''s similar to Silvermoon''s "Spirit Land". I mean, it''s good to have it back. It was inevitable, but I''m glad I did. "Thank you again, human king. "I''m not a king, "?After leading so many people, you''re not a king? The mermaid was clearly mystified. But it was only for a moment. He wasn''t interested in whether I was the king or not, so he turned again to his jade on a pedestal - her Lord. The Lord has returned to his rightful place, and in a thousand years he will return. "Does it take that long? "On a human scale it would be. I see. They must be a very long-lived tribe. Or a tribe of gods? As I''ve come to learn, that creator god has a habit of excluding other gods. This mermaid, and this ball. This mermaid and this bead... who, if he were a god, would know to speak in terms of a thousand years. At the same time, it''s a thankless task. "Hey, if that''s the case, then maybe you''ll let us have the land for a thousand years. "Land? "Yeah, the land that houses the people. "It''s ...... "I''ll protect you from that creator God instead. "...... No. The mermaid hesitated for a moment, then rejected it outright. "Why? "I can''t borrow your protection. You''re human. You''ll be gone in a hundred years. It''s dangerous to depend on someone who will be gone in a hundred years. The Lord who reverts to his original attributes after you''re gone will soon be beaten. In that case, you can do the real work. I can''t. If the divine punishment is 100, for example, how much power do you have?How far can you prevent it? The mermaid''s face twisted as she listened. "0.1 ...... if it''s 1 in 1000. I see. Quite a power differential. Do you see what I mean?In me-- "Rather just right. "What? The mermaid is vexed. She was angry that she was not strong enough to protect the Lord and was told that she was "just fine". "I''ll take a little help from the earth. Then I said, and pulled out my wise man''s sword and thrust it into the ground. "What are you going to do, Master Alec? I''ve been attacked by it many times. "Yes!Oh no!Alec-sama always wins! Angel to enthusiastically deny their last words. It''s not that kind of "I''ve been beaten up," but it''s good now . ''We''ve gone at it a lot, but each time it''s a clash of all-out forces, it''s still exhausting. "...... wow "What''s up Angel? "That''s about as ''tiring'' a story as you can get: ...... amazing ...... A twinkle in your eye, Angel. I don''t want to get tired, so I''ve been trying to think of a way not to get tired. And here it is. Through the blade of a baboon kane, a magic circle was spread out and wards were set up. Based on the plough''s warding, this is a further development. It is not invincible, and in some cases it gives the enemy an advantage--or rather, my opponent has the advantage. But that trait is more effective now. Such wards. What have you done? "Is the new magic? So far, Angier quickly surmised, "Yeah, more of a ward than a spell. "Yeah, it''s more of a ward than a spell. What is the effect?Are you invincible? It''s not. I drew my wise man''s sword from the ground and cut Angel with all my might. "--! Mermaid startled, but unmoved Angier . Of course, the speed is inevitable in Angier, but even after doing so, Angier stood there without even questioning. It means he trusts me. "Is that the effect? In a word - nullifies a lot of damage. All power above a certain level is nullified, regardless of who is in the space, friend or foe. I put the wise man''s sword back on my back and magically made a pedestal. I put my elbows on it and say to Angier, "Arm-wrestle me. "Arm-wrestle and you''ll understand. "Yes--oh. Raise your voice Angel. The arm wrestling that had invited her was completely even. "Master Alec, you''re really trying, aren''t you? Of course. Even if I''m going for it, my strength will be cut above the limit. As long as we''re in here, friend and foe--all of us, Angers and I will be the same strength. I see. Then it doesn''t matter how much divine punishment comes! "Yeah--that''s what I mean. After the reveal with Angier, she turned her gaze to the mermaid again. She was awestruck again, but... This way you - well, anyone can protect your master from that creator. "...... oh By the way, it''s practically impossible to change or break the wards because it would take more than a ward to do it. "Oh, ...... thank you! Understanding the situation, the mermaid thanked him with the biggest smile she had ever seen. "So - I was wondering if you would be willing to rent this land to me for a thousand years. "...... got it! After thinking about it for a bit, she glanced at her master''s balls. She readily agreed. I see. But, come to think of it, yes. The god of creation wants me dead. If it weren''t for the danger, her master would be nice enough to take this kind of thing in stride. I kind of wanted to meet her someday. 162 16. The Good Man Prepares the Lottery of Fate With the mermaid waving me off, Angel and I walked up the stairs. I glanced back at the stairs, which seemed to be floating directly in space. "What is it, Master Alec? Angel, who was walking beside me, asked me curiously. "I thought this place was similar to Silvermoon''s ''sacred ground'' and Mia''s family''s holy place. Is that so? Yeah. A place where you''re born here and your destiny is to come back here. I wondered if such a thing could happen often. I think there is! Angier answered almost immediately, but with great gusto. When I turned to her to see what was wrong, she was looking at me with high tension and sparkling eyes. What''s going on?It''s rare to see Angier so excited. Because I thought my destiny was to be near you, Alec. "Near me?I see. "Yes! Angel nodded with more and more intensity. So the place of destiny is near me. I''m sure everyone who followed me was meant to be Alec''s people too. Angel''s pure and innocent goodwill is always pleasant to the touch. Thank you Angier. It''s a pleasure. "Ehehehe ...... At my words, Angier smiled more and more happily. The place of destiny, or . The next day, I gathered the people in front of the tent. Having obtained permission from the mermaids, the real owners of the land, I entered the next phase of allocating the people for settlement. I built a small platform in front of the tent and gathered some of the people there first. Today, everyone is going to settle here in earnest, here in Avalon. So I have prepared here a map of the places that I want each of you to be in charge of and to live in. As I said, several maids stepped forward in front of the stand. Each of the maids is holding a box about 50 centimeters square. The box is shaped like a typical lottery box with a round hole in the top. I want you to go to the place where you drew this. The lottery, that''s just luck. "What if I pull the d*mned thing? "No, I''ll believe it, Vice-Emperor. A bewildered populace, bewildered but also anxious, generally converged on a favorable place. Then, draw from those who are ready. "I''ll go first! With an immediate response, a man stepped forward. He was in his late twenties, and a woman with a baby on her back came out with him. She was modestly dressed, but stocky and muscular. I can imagine that he must have been a farmer before he came here. The man glances behind him and is like, "Uh-huh. I''ll be the first to go. "Ahhh!I''ve been hit. "d*mn, I should have gotten the hell out of there too. "Because you doubt what the Vice-Emperor would do. Amidst the various voices, a man stood in front of one of the lottery boxes and put his hand inside. Huh? "What''s up with you, The man''s wife asked anxiously. "No, it''s ...... out of the box? The man tilted his head and turned his gaze to me. I smiled and stared back. The man was confused about what was going on. But when he pulls his hand out of the box. ""Ohhhhhh? A voice came from the people. A cry of surprise. A man''s hand, removed from the box, glowed faintly. Like a firefly on a string, the light left his hand and flew in a wavering direction. Follow it and it will lead you to a place. "I see! Wow, that was magical. I see, it''s easier to understand than just drawing a lottery. "That''s the Vice-Emperor. As the man''s family was led away by the light, the rest of the people came out to draw one by one. ''Good work, that''s great magic, Master Alec. As I stepped off the platform and tried to watch from a distance, Angel came out of the tent and spoke to me. There''s no confusion or fighting that way. That''s our boy, Alec. "That''s not all, Angel. I smiled at Angel, and smiled at him. "Huh? It''s magic to find the ''place of destiny''. It''s the magic that will lead you to the place where life works best and where you can be happy. "Ah ...... ...... of the spiritual land That kind of thing. He smiled back at Angel with a smile. Spiritual places and sacred places, that''s where I got the idea for this magic. Rather than me using my ordinary wisdom to divide and conquer, it''s better to use magic developed from divination to guide the person to the place that''s most destined for them. Because the setting is set up to make you happy, the booking won''t happen, and if it does, it will be a booking for happiness like a wind-blown tuber. I made the magic of the lottery to be drawn by the people. Yeah, but Hmm? What if that fortune is going to come out of Avalon? Then you''ll be punished by Angier. I said prankishly. "Yeah yeah! Angel told you yesterday that you were all meant to be my people. That''s what it means to miss out. Oh, ...... is fine then. Angier''s reaction was somewhat unexpected, he was surprised but seems to think "that''s okay". I knew it. Ange''s pure and innocent goodwill is always pleasant to touch. 163 17. Good people, constantly building systems The next day, inside the tent. I was with Angel listening to the reports that came up one by one from the maids. Incidentally, in the corner of the room is Mari. She''s the recorder, and she''s going to record everything I hear and say. Honestly, it doesn''t mean much. What happens to me, and what I need, is translated into "knowledge" and stored in the wise man''s sword. But I still let the Mari do it. "There is an iron ore discovery seven kilometers northwest of the mountain. This seems to have been a southward clan of silkworm farmers, with a colony of mulberry trees and suitable land for it. "Three generations of families who were ''ferrying'' their children to the river were quickly led to the side of the river, and now they''re building boats, One after another, the maids reported that the reports came from the people who, by a "lottery", had led the person to the most suitable land. Since the guidance was in line with their strengths and specialties, the majority of them were grateful to be able to work as they were in the past, and some of them were "You''re finding resources pretty quickly. "Yes. Amelia, the head maid, nodded, supervising the report. ''That''s about a third of the reports. "...... "What is it, Mr. Alec? As I silently pondered, Angel, by my side, asked curiously, "I thought it was less. "I thought it was less. Not much, is it? The people who followed me are a hundred thousand, and I led them to a land destined for the best life ever. That kind of magic. And this is the land of Avalon, once called paradise. "Fertile ground in every sense of the word, there should be more reports, right? Take over my words Amelia. Positions make the man. Because of everything I do, Amelia, despite being a chief maid of honor, is able to see and speak her mind as a sort of chief advisor to her lord. "Yes, I think so. There should be more coming up. "With all due respect, Hmm? "There are two possibilities. . that one has not been found. "Not found? "Things that take time - like things that involve people who have lived here for a while. Or things that the master will develop in the future. Well, I guess that means it''s not the time. Nodding Amelia. "And the other one? I''m a commoner. I thought I heard a secondary voice saying, "I know because I''m like that too. When they find something nice, they want to hide it to keep it to themselves. "I see. Maybe that''s the way it is. But since I heard Amelia''s secondary voice and she assured me so clearly and confidently, maybe that''s what it was. I thought about it more. I wonder if people would report back if I warned them not to take what they found. "...... Nice is Angier "Do you want to, Mr. Alec? Anje looks at you with a surprised look on her face. "Yes, I''ll give you a touch. Amelia. "Yes. Tell the delegates and anyone else who wants to come over here and I will teach them how to refine the iron and dye the thread colors. And tell them that I will teach them how to make efficient use of what they find. I understand. Amelia nodded and left the tent with the other maids. Oh, I see. ...... Angier huffed and immediately afterwards slumped down with a look of shame. "Alec-sama has a policy of rewarding, not punishing: ...... He looked ashamed that he''d forgotten about it and said he was going to "take it away". "Never mind that, Angel. But the ''touch'' was a great hint. Thank you. Thanking me, Angier looked more and more complicated. The next day, today, I still held office in the tent. Building the lord''s mansion is a no-brainer, but I''m wondering if it''s a good idea for me to go out and get the land until the people are settled, and I need to ask again what Eliza is actually going to do with it. So I put off the mansion and the mansion and continued my duties in the tent. In the meantime, Amelia reported to me just like yesterday. This is what she reported to me yesterday after I made the announcement. Yeah, tell them to go to ...... and tell them they''ll get it in three days, no, a month. Ostensibly, it''s a waiting list. "I''ll get right to it. Amelia takes the order and walks out of the tent to deliver it. When they''re alone, Angel smiles and clasps her hands together. I see, so everyone will be the first to report to me instead of hiding from now on. "Huh? "Huh? When I asked back, Angier was taken aback. "Isn''t that what you mean, Mr. Alec? Oh, I see, you do too. Do you also have something more at ......? Yeah, to be honest, I don''t think it''s much. I looked at the summary of yesterday''s and today''s "reports" that I received from Mari. "Is it still too little? "There are people who are happy with it. "Satisfied People who are content to follow me and do nothing to get to where they are because they''ve won the lottery of fate and are now safe. "I see. The message to those people is, ''It''s not the end of the world, it''s not the end of the world, but if you work harder, it will make your life easier. That''s the message that people are going to say, ''Let''s find it and report it as soon as possible. "Will you be? I think I would. Because we would have suffered the same fate if everyone around us had been better off than we were. If only it was because I reported it. "I see! Let''s just move them. There are some people who think they can get food if they open their mouths, like chickadees, so let''s make the flow of those people to work - to work voluntarily. For that, we need one or two more things. I was wondering how to do that. "Heh, heh, ...... Angel was smiling happily beside me. ''What is it, Angel? "I thought you were really nice, Alec. Angel''s face broke into an increasingly happy smile as he spoke. 164 18. A good man, being asked Okay, here you go. "I''ll get right to it. Amelia bowed cautiously and then walked out of the tent. In her hand is a fine piece of parchment. It''s signed by me, with my crest. I walked out of the tent with the only text I had Mari sign for me - now in the form of an official document. Eliza came in to replace Amelia. Stealthy Eliza, who''s been getting even s*xier lately, looked divinely beautiful coupled with the backlighting at the tent''s entrance. For a moment, but I''m sure, I made up for it and spoke to her with an air of nonchalance. Hi, you''re here again, Eliza. I''m just wondering how things are going here. It''s going well. That''s pretty much it. "What was that?What''s the deal? You know? I see human faces every day as they receive these things. I see. Eliza is emperor of the empire. She has issued a far more dire mandate than I have, an edict. I was ordered to carry it out, something peculiarly human. What is it? She came up to me and asked me, she was close to Eliza and this land was hers to begin with, being the Imperial Emperor. I answered honestly that there was no reason to hide it. "Just a little warning that you won''t have to pay any taxes this year. That''s what we do here, too. "Yes. I nodded. I already did it in Carlisle, and Eliza knows it. So that''s what we''ll do here. Since this is a new place, I thought the extra money would be better spent in the private sector. You''re the only one who can do that, after all. Eliza is amazed. As an emperor - a regulator, she understands the importance of money in the private sector. For example. A man borrows a hundred pieces of silver from a moneylender. The man buys something with the 100 pieces of silver. At this moment, the silver coin has been used to do the work of 300 pieces of silver. The 100 silver coins that the moneylender lends out and produces interest. The man bought 100 pieces of goods with the amount he borrowed. 100 of the shopkeeper or merchant who actually got the silver by selling things. That''s a total of 300 pieces of work. Even debt, which is generally considered a negative image, creates so much value in just one turn of the smallest composition. The more money goes around, the more invisible--but real--value it gains. A selfless politician would be right to tax less and leave the money to the private sector, but Eliza is the emperor, there are too many people to feed (). Even if Eliza herself saves money, there are ministers, officials, servants, and their families. The burden is too big for her to do it. For that I am light, so I can do as I please. How come it''s only a year? If you do this anyway, it should keep some tension because you''ll have to pay next year. If you don''t do anything all of a sudden, some people won''t work to begin with. I mean, that''s who I''m fighting with right now, in a way. And in the end, it''s going to carry a bad name. Eliza chuckles as she speaks. It''s a story I''ve had with her before. Once the people get a taste of honey, they can''t accept higher taxes. It''s fine when you cut taxes then, but when you have to raise them in the future, that''s the hardest part. I said I was going to give it to you at the end of my life and die of infamy. Then you brought it up again. Is that what you would do this time? I don''t know, depends on the situation. I''m not going to take the first year for now. That''s all I know. How about, "The more you work, the more tax you get? "The more you work, the lighter you work? "It''s easier to get taxed on your income. Then everyone will work harder. "I see. Taxes don''t mean anything to you anyway. Eliza chuckled. You are the only one who can do this. How about that kind of reversal, how about the more kids you have, the less taxes you pay?Nowadays, the more children you have, the more you take in the capitation tax, but that doesn''t mean you can''t have children because they''re in the workforce. I see, the more you have, the lighter your taxes are. That kind of thing. We''ll have to put together a detailed supplementary system, but in the grand scheme of things. It''s there. Eliza to answer immediately. I know from the wise man''s sword that for the common people, who now account for nearly 90% of the world, the number of children, or families, is directly related to the labor force. Measures to have more children and to be able to have them in a safe manner are quite important. Eliza and I continued our serious talk in the tent. And you understand that there is. Eliza intends to turn this place, Avalon and I, into a "box office". She intends to footnote what works to the Empire by testing measures here as a miniature of the Empire in advance. I was fooled - or not fooled - by the words "I will go down in history". That''s not a lie either, but Emperor Elisabeth is thinking about her country and her people as much as she is at the same time. That''s the kind of Elisa I like, and we''ve been discussing ideas. Sorry to bother you. "Hmm?What''s up Amelia? Amelia, coming in from outside the tent, called out to me with a difficult look on her face. ''I sent you the message just now. I have just sent it out, and the managers of some of the settlements have asked to see you, Master. "Visitation? "Petitioning," he said. Petitions. ...... "Heh, I wonder what that is. Eliza said lightly in her usual tone, but her eyes sat up a bit. "Alec even gave you a tax break, so what are you complaining about? I thought I heard something like that, but I didn''t. I''ll see you anyway. Let''s just get these people into the tents. "I''ll get right to it. Amelia stepped out of the tent to call. "Can Eliza stay next to me?We might talk to you about it. Or rather, I thought it would be easier to keep them close so they don''t go wild. Okay. I''m sorry, I''m going to have to ask you to stay standing, but-- Before I could finish, Eliza dove into my shadow. Within ten seconds, Eliza emerged from the shadows, dressed in the maid costume I''ve become accustomed to lately. "I''m here to serve you, master. Yeah, nice to meet you. Maid Eliza stood diagonally behind me. Shortly after, a number of men came in, led by Amelia. People in that position naturally dress alike. A village chief or a clan leader. At first glance, most of them were in those positions. Good work. Now you have something to say to me. I asked point-blank, and the men all knelt down in front of me at once. Then the man in the middle of the crowd, in the front, looked up and said, "Please let me pay my taxes! "Please, let us pay our taxes! "......?What does that mean? That was unexpected. It sounded like you''d rather have me pay my taxes. ....... "Following the Vice-Emperor has given me hope for a brighter future, for a brighter future. So please let me-- ""Come on! The other man spoke up, a bit surprised. Let me express my gratitude! Oh, so you want me to pay taxes. But that''s still unexpected. No, I''d say that''s unheard of. I asked the wise men''s sword and they said it was unprecedented. "That''s my boy. Eliza also murmured, half in admiration, half in disgust. 165 19. Good people, wear absolutely perfect disguise The next morning, in the tent. I stopped and thought about it. "Master Alec, what is it? I look up. I see a strange-looking Angel and Eliza in a maid''s outfit staring at me. Good morning, Angel, Eliza. I''ve been thinking about something. Here, yesterday''s tax talk. What about it? Despite the tone of a maid, this time Eliza asked me. She''s also the emperor of the empire, and it sounds like she''s in maid mode and is curious about the story. I wondered if it was true. "...... might be a lie to get into your master''s arms, and? "I''ve done a lot of things, so they should know who I am. I thought it wouldn''t be surprising if someone brought that kind of ''my kind'' to the table. "I don''t think so, but ...... Eliza modestly denies it. "Oh, well, how about this? Angier clasps his hands together with a smiling face and suggests. ''Just like my usual sister, I''m going to sneak out and see if it''s true. "I see. That''s a good move. I mean, we can''t come to a decision here. We''ll just have to wait and see what the public actually does. Okay, let''s go. "Take me with you, master! "Eliza too?Well, let''s go together. Since Eliza has her mind set, it''s better to take her and show her in person. So you''d better go to ...... to see it. Do you want to go with Angel? "Yes!I''ll join you! Angel smiling and answering immediately. This is how I''m going to take the two of them on a tour, but the problem is the disguise. I have a disguise that won''t allow them to see me through. So it would be ....... I''ll take this one. I took the medicine bottle out of the luggage. I open the lid and put the contents in the palm of my hand. There are three pills, a red one and a blue one. What are these? A potion said to have been created by an ancient witch. If you don''t know what it is, it''s an amazing potion that can disguise you on a level you''ll never know. "Is it really that great? "Yeah. Try it from Eliza? "Thank you. Eliza took a pill from my hand, a red one, and swallowed it without hesitation. Immediately afterwards - there was a pretty sound, and Eliza''s body shrank. The well-proportioned proportions, which were apparent even underneath the cloth-heavy maid''s uniform, changed and were replaced by those of a young girl. Sister! Angel was surprised at the suddenness of the situation. Eliza, on the other hand, is a calmer version of herself. The maid''s uniform, which has just barely concealed her nudity as her body shrank and fell to the floor, is very calm and collected. "A shrinking body is certainly the best disguise you could have if you didn''t know this. That''s what I thought. "Red shrinks, say ......? Eliza looking up at me. Two blues remain in the palm of my hand. Yes. Angel, get this. "Okay--hyah. Receiving the blue pill, Angela swallowed it down without hesitation. She grew up on the contrary. Already after entering the second growth period, Anje has grown a little taller, and instead became much more mature. Her height has grown a little bit, and her overall atmosphere has become much more mature instead. The cute little girl became a cute older sister, just as she was. You will be able to get a good idea of what you are looking for, and you will be able to get a good idea of what you are looking for. Wow. ...... "And me. I also took drugs. The difference between men and women, I was still growing. Even with the same blue pill, I was bigger than Angel. The boy before I changed my voice became a young man. The same clothes as always. Because I do a lot of fighting, they were made of sturdy materials and were perfectly fine for stretching, so my clothes looked bigger. They won''t know we''re there if they''re big enough. Me and Angel are still married, right? "Yes!Dear Alec! Call it what it is. "Yes!Let''s see, ...... what do I do ...... oh Angier huffed and smiled while holding his hands together. "You. So, are you ready? It was so cute to see Angier calling me that. Yeah, do that. It''s not a lie, so it''s easy to call Angel and it''s a good way to do it without getting caught. Next, I''ll turn to Eliza. She''s even younger now than when I first met her. It''s the first time I see a young Eliza. It''s like me and Angel have grown up, and we''re swapping pluses and minuses. Speaking of which, do Angel and Elisa usually hold hands? "Yes, when your sister is your sister (), I see. Try it for a minute. I understand. Sister. "Yes. An adult Angel and a child Eliza, they hold hands. If a picture of the two of them now was painted and framed, it would be titled "Happiness". They looked that much happier as a mother and daughter. She''s like our daughter. Musume ...... The couple and their daughter. Let''s use this setting. "Yes! "...... A smiling Angel, a depressed Eliza with a stain on her cheeks. Yes, we''ll never be found out. 166 20. A good man rejoices at criticism of himself I changed my appearance and my clothes from noblemen''s to common people''s. I went out with Angel and Eliza. I went out with Angel and Eliza. The adult version of me and Angel are on either side of me, and in the center is Eliza, who has returned to her childlike form. The three of us walking hand in hand is the very image of a happy trio of children. It''s a but. Are you okay, Eliza? I decided to call it what it always is, never mind what we call it, because it looks a lot different. You''re holding hands with me, Eliza. I don''t know why her body is so strong and jerky, and her hand is so hot. Do you have a fever? "That''s okay! Eliza denied it with considerable force. She put her hand to her forehead and tried to take the heat, but she twisted around and avoided it. "Yeah? "I think it''s okay, honey. As if to offer a helping hand, Angier said from the other side. Is that so? Yes, girls this age have a higher body temperature than guys. "I see. I asked the wise man''s sword, which he carried on his back, camouflaged as usual, just to be sure it was invisible. It depends on the person" was the answer. Well, if that''s the case. I decided not to worry about it any more and kept walking. Avalon, a place that, until a few days ago, was a desolate and toxic land. All that poisonousness is gone, and here and there people are building houses and cultivating fields. The land glows faintly ...... here and there. Each one is a different color, which is drawn by lot by the people, and is their destiny. The glowing place is naturally demarcated, and although still in its infancy, it has already become like a town. A family of three was walking through such a town-like place. You''re going to look at that. Suddenly, Angier stopped and pointed to a distant place. It was a large place with a lot of light. Nearly 30 young people were gathered there, still in a vacant lot in a residential area. They were kneeling and worshipping at the wood placed in front of them. I wonder if it''s a religion. Perhaps that section will be a temple from now on, and the wood will be used as a surrogate or to grind statues of the gods. The men were worshipping it with such reverence that it made me think so. Oh Alexander, Alexander. "Our Savior. I could hear the men''s voices on the wind. Apparently, they''re honoring you ...... and Mr. Alec. "I see. Good for you. Eliza, who had been in a subtle mood earlier, said in a childlike tone. ''''The fact that there is a normal voice praising the reign of the vice emperor means that it''s okay. Yes. What''s the matter with you? Angier cocked his head and asked, "Well, I''m not complaining. "Hmm, not that I''m unhappy, Answering vaguely, Angel and Eliza looked at each other and wondered. Anyway, let''s take a look at it some more. Yes. Okay. Take the two of them and walk further into the city, still acting like a loving father and son. Once you see it, it becomes more visible. Although the streets are divided into sections and have the feel of a town, there are few buildings, so you can see the ones a few houses away and understand their interactions. Now it''s children. It''s a song. "God protect the emperor Alexander, our good emperor Alexander The children were singing a hymn to me. "You''re becoming an emperor. Should I stop them? Ange then glanced at Eliza. I wonder what a real emperor would think of this. "It''s good, isn''t it?These things are fine as long as you don''t carry the person in question and rebel, and the person who is carried and rebels? Eliza said and looked up at me. "I don''t, Then it''s not a problem. "That''s good--what?You still look annoyed. "What''s the problem? "Hmmm. I was wondering how to explain it to them. I heard an old man''s voice behind me. I turned around and saw the old man enjoying a deer or something with cooked animal meat as a snack. "Old man, who''s the greatest impostor of all time? It''s the Vice-Emperor. The old man sneered and said with a scowl. Angel looked annoyed, and Eliza cringed. You put all your strength into the hand that connects you to Eliza, who is about to jump out of the way, and you keep her back while you listen further. What''s this all about? "You know what?Anybody who followed me would be praising him. I guess so. You don''t do that, Grandpa? It''s none of my business. I just thought I wouldn''t be able to get away with it here. "Mmm-hmm. "They don''t know it, but the more they know about him, the less human he is. Yeah. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a grin, and he smiled pleasantly with a chipped tooth mouth. "It''s a machine that makes people happy. You don''t look like you''ve got any blood in your veins. "I see! That''s a novel opinion. A machine that makes humans happy, without blood. First time I''ve heard of it, but it''s interesting. That can''t be true, there''s never been anything wrong with it. I''m going to enjoy unmasking it. The old man said and then spiked his drink some more. Eliza cowered. Her face turned red and she was trembling with anger. From Eliza''s point of view, the old man''s words must have sounded like a kind of "rant" to her. I tightened my grip on Eliza''s hand, smiled at her, and led her away from the old man. When I got to a point where the old man couldn''t hear me, Eliza said. You can''t make me do that! And was clearly angry. On the other hand, Angier was . "You ...... look different and happy And was somewhat puzzled. I thought, "Yeah, I think I can handle this. What do you mean? "Did you see Grandpa''s face?I''m fair-skinned, I drink in the daytime, and I - I''m a critic of the administration. You do. "It''s best to have that kind of room and freedom. It''s better to have that kind of leeway and freedom that people don''t think of you as a good government. "...... The Words of Emperor Carus Tweeting Eliza, I nodded. My life is stable, I can see the future, I can criticize the government. Apparently, the tax thing was my imagination. Apparently, the people can afford it. 167 21. A good man invents perfect heating Inside the tent, one of the maids, Agnes, came with a man. The young man, who seems like a nice guy, a simple peasant, prostrates himself as soon as he enters the tent. "I am honored to have an audience with you... Relax, you don''t have to use unfamiliar language. "Ha, ha - thank goodness I''m happy. The young man was horrified at me, even though I said it was okay. The proof of this is that he was frozen in place, not even looking up from his prostrate position. Tell me more about it. I know there is something you need to ask of me. "Oh, no way to ask! Yes, then tell me a story. What''s the "then"? I''m going to go into it, but you can''t go into such detail with a nervous person. I just encourage them to talk. "Hey, we''re from a village called St. Maur. Yeah, so? "St. Maur is warm and it''s like summer all year round, ...... I see that it''s colder here than back home. "Yes, yes! A young man who responds without looking up, with trepidation, and still prostrate. It''s been chilly for a while now, it''s the change of seasons. It''s the change of seasons. It''s natural for people from everlasting summer to be uncomfortable. "Okay, I''ll see what I can do. Can you give me the night? "Oh, thank you! * So, what are you looking for, Mr. Alec? Ange, who is accompanying me up the mountain, asked me, "There''s an ore called refacto. "It''s an ore called refacto. "Refacto, is it? Yes. Angel, when you were in the house, you used to wear shoes indoors, especially in winter. Why is that? "Huh?Um, ...... because I''m going to get burned? "Correct First you go up the steps, then you turn around, reach out to Angier and pull him up. Carlisle''s house has an in-floor heating system called Hypocaust, but it gets too hot in some parts of the house sometimes, so he wears shoes in his room as well. "Yes. Angel staring at me, nodding. So?And quietly wait for my explanation. "There are many ways to keep it from getting hot. There are many ways to keep it from getting hot. And so on. But I thought of a plan. As you walk, you pull out your wise man''s sword and hold it at arm''s length while continuing. This wise man''s sword, the hollyhock, usually doesn''t change no matter how much magic you pour into it. "Yes. I thought, "Why not do the same thing? "...... ha! Now I feel like I don''t understand one thing, Angel. Meanwhile, I felt the presence of what I wanted. I kept casting a search spell, trying to figure out if it existed. I was right above the thing I wanted. "I''m going to get it now, Angie, give me some space. I understand. As I was told, obediently leave Angel . I thrust the sword of the wise man into the ground, into the rocky face of the crag, and filled it with magic . It''s nothing out of the ordinary, just fire magic. But the wise man''s sword - through the hibiscus money - increases in power. The flaming magic spread downward, melting the rock to mush. I stared at the melting process, and then... There it is. "What is? "Look. He pointed to the rocky surface I had melted - the ground. Sensing that it was safe to go on, Angier came to my side and peered into the hole I had made. "Is that a strange-looking rock? It''s an odd shape, or rather it''s in the ground, the result of the surrounding area melting and leaving only that part unsolved. The plaster was poured into a mold to make a proper shape. It''s just like that. "This is a refact? That''s what it is. "I see. ...... It''s amazing that even though Alec-sama went easy on you, it still remains unmelted. "No, Angier. "Huh?What''s the difference? I bent down for a moment, took Angier''s hand and placed it in the palm of my hand, picking up a piece of the refactor. Wow!Hot--not hot, no? Angel, who looks at the hole in the palm of his hand, alternating between me and the refactor, amazed. The hole was still red and melted into mush around it. Angier was surprised to see that the remaining burned-out refacto in it was not hot at all. . The next day, outside the tent. About five hundred people gathered with the young man from Sao Paolo who came yesterday to petition the government. We were able to solve their problems, so we gathered to teach them. There is a rocky ground between me and the people of Saint-Mor. The ground was dug in plain sight from the side, and a fire was burning underneath the rock slabs of ground. At one corner of the plank is a square block. All in all, it was a protruding steak plate. It''s like a larger version of it. It''s like you''re about to grill something with it. Naturally, the people of St. Maur''s were puzzled when they saw it. "Come on, try on it. "Yeah! The young man is astonished, the rest of the people are buzzing. ............ Sorry about that. The young man froze for a bit, then flopped down on me again. "Yeah? ''''I''m sorry for being out of line and causing trouble for the Vice-Emperor. By all means!By all means, only life! Oh, I thought it was a punishment. It''s not. I smiled at him. The young man looked up fearfully and the others were more and more confused. All right, let me do it first. He took off his shoes and stepped barefoot on the stone slab. There''s more noise. "This is a new material I''ve developed. No matter how much you cook it, it will only get warm enough to touch your skin. ""........................ eeeeeeee!" After a long pause, everyone in the room exclaimed in surprise. Normally, it burns when you set it on fire and gets hot even if it doesn''t. But with this material, no matter how much it burns, it only rises to the level of human skin. Take a ride. Further prompts. A young man in prostration looks at me, then at his countrymen. Then he stands up fearfully, takes off his straw sandals, and climbs onto the rock slab. It''s warm! Hey. I smiled and gently stepped back from the slab of rock, smiling. The young man''s reaction triggered the people of St. Maur''s to come up to the plank one by one. It''s true, it''s warm on the plank! "It''s rather hot in the air around you! "Hey, come here!It''s warm inside in this protruding hut! At a little distance, I watched the reaction of the people. I built a hut, and the effect is exactly what I wanted. There are several types of heaters, but most of them have one common problem: they all have hot parts and cold parts. With underfloor heating, of course, the ground is hot, and with fireplaces and the like, the part that is warm to the flames often has a cold back. The kotatsu, a specialty of the East, has a weakness: if used incorrectly, it can lead to a cold. This was overcome by using a refacto as a building material. If the building material itself is a refactory, the entire perimeter will continue to emit the temperature of human skin, making it equally warm no matter where you are in the room. If I had to say, it''s theoretically only cold in the center, but it should get warmer as you go along. ''Wow, I never knew there was such a thing. I thought you were going to build me a house fast and put fireplaces all over the place. "That''s the Vice-Emperor, I was pleased with the outcome of the new material, as 500 people are happy to have a successive refactoring experience. 168 22. Build relationships of trust with the Emperor "Then Xiaomei, this one, please. Yes, ...... ei! Inside the tent, Xiao Mei cast a spell on the box of refacts I had given her. Her long, black, lustrous hair softly fluttered, and the increased magic power changed shape and settled on the refact. In the blink of an eye, the refacto box was frozen. "Done, Alexander. Let''s see: ...... Yeah, the permanent freeze works, but here Show the box to Xiaomei and point to one of its corners. Oh, there''s a block of ice ...... "Yeah, there''s a little bit of a protrusion. I mean, it could be like this-- I picked up another box and cast the same permanent freezing spell on it. Compared to Xiaomei''s that had some bumps and bruises on it, mine was an even layer of ice on the surface of the box, evenly distributed. "I want them smooth. This is going to be a practical item. See, even a bowl is hard to use if it''s not polished and has some protrusions in it. "Yes, yes!That''s right. "By the way, the finished product is this. Then he held out a cup that he had prepared in advance to Xiaomei. "This is ......? I''m not sure if it''s just a cup of ice water. I offered a glass of ice water. "This is just a glass of ice water. "What?But the ice is still there. Yeah, so the finished product . I cast a perpetual freeze spell over the cup itself, as well as the box itself, on the refacto cup. Invisible, just a thin layer of skin. "Mr. Alexander ...... amazing ...... Xiao Mei rolled her eyes and marveled. The goal is to put a permanent freeze just like this one, just so you can''t see it. In a box like this or possibly a bigger box. "...... summer, is it? I picked up the box and thought for a moment, then Xiaomei asked me, "Wow, Xiaomei, that''s great. "That''s great Xiao Mei, you''re good. I made a little move, but I stopped. When I met Xiaomei, she was still a young girl, but now she has grown up to be a full-grown, mature and beautiful prep girl with an air of maturity. She is not old enough to pat her head for praise. So instead, more compliments. "Not only is she magical, but she''s brilliant. "Oh, thank you. An embarrassed Xiaomei, I took one of the boxes and continued the story. Yes, summer. Summer is a time when people tend to hit the food. That''s because the food goes bad. But if we put a permanent freeze over the refacto material and make a box out of it-- It will be a storage unit that will never get warm, but will also never freeze out of use. "Yeah. You''ll have refrigeration, not freezing, right? I think it would reduce the incidence of food poisoning significantly. Then, this time he looks at Xiaomei. Trust and hope. Trust and hope. "I need Xiaomei to develop a spell and technology that can be applied thinly and easily to the refactor material. "Nah, I see. Furthermore, say one last thing. Say this with a smile. "Avalon''s summer depends on Xiaomei. "--Ha!I''ll do my best! * Inside the tent after Xiaomei left. Eliza came in as a snuggler. "Alec. Hmm? When it''s done, sell it to the Empire. "Selling?No, I''ll provide?And that''s what I was going to do all along. "No, sell it. Eliza said unequivocally. I know this face. I know this face. "Write your name in history, and I want to see it. You look almost exactly the same as when you said that word. Then I saw what she was trying to do. You want to advertise that this is a great item from Vice-Emperor Alexander. Thank you. "Why do you thank me? "A connoisseur''s eye, I guess you could say. Or the ability to see the essence. I trust Eliza''s judgment. When Elisa says that, it makes me feel like this is going to work. When I said this, Eliza''s eyes widened in surprise, and then she turned away, her cheeks blushing. "Wow, even I''m misguided sometimes. No, I trust. in Eliza. "Me,"? Yes, as much as Eliza trusts me. It came out smoothly, but after I said it, I thought, "Oh yeah. Yes, definitely. I trust Eliza, which is almost as much as she trusts me. I can say that with confidence. So I looked straight at Eliza to tell her that. Then she blushed more and more, and kept her head turned away. ...... I''ll do my best. I murmured to myself. I suddenly thought Eliza was cute and embarrassed, which was unusual for me. 169 23. Good people, missionary Avalon is gradually developing. It started out as a ''glowing ground'', a town that was laid out in sections, but it''s already starting to look like a real town, with construction going on here and there. It''s amazing, Mr. Alec. Hmm? Beside me, Angel, who had gone on a tour with me, murmured with a look of excitement on his face, as if to say, "It''s a town where nothing was there before. There was nothing here just a few minutes ago, and now it''s a town. The thing. Yeah, I know. It''s kind of exciting. "Yes!More today than yesterday, more tomorrow than today. I knew that word, but that''s exactly what it means, isn''t it? Talk excitedly. I think I know the feeling. The expression is rather conventional, and everyone knows it refers to "growth" and "progress. But surprisingly few can feel it. If there is one, it is close to making a child, but some men do not feel it. There are those who are devoted to work and do not even notice it. Angel, that''s dangerous! "What--Hey! After a delayed reaction, I grab Angier''s hand and pull her close. She loses her balance and naturally falls into my embrace. Just as Angel was standing there, a wagon was passing by. The wagon is loaded with lumber. The biggest traffic in Avalon right now is building materials such as lumber and stones. Thank you, Mr. Alec. You''re welcome. "Huh? What''s going on? "That Carriage ...... Angier stretched out his finger and gave me a curious look. He pointed to the carriage, which had already arrived at its destination and was beginning to unload. The unloaded lumber is being brought into the completed building. It''s not going to be used to build a house. I guess so. Nodded and looked around. Angier looked around with me as well. In Avalon, where there''s a construction boom, here and there lumber and stones are piled up. It''s all piled up outdoors, which is no surprise since it''s under construction. On the other hand, the one Angier wondered about is unloading the lumber and bringing it into a building where construction is apparently complete. What''s it for? Let''s go for it. "Yes! He nodded at Angel and went to the building where they were bringing in the lumber. "May I have a word with you? "I''m busy - you mean, Deputy Emperor!Hurry!You do not know that you are the Vice-Emperor and you are rude. I approached a man who looked like a foreman directing the lumber delivery. He didn''t see me at first, but he was so intimidated that he kept bowing his head. Never mind. I''d rather talk to you about it, but I''ll talk to you later if you''re busy. "It''s okay!Ask me anything you want. "Yeah. What are we doing here?This lumber? This is a sculpture guild, and we have a bunch of sculptors. "I see. That''s right. I and Angier agreed. The Sculpture Guild, it''s no wonder they bring in wood into the building. "Well, houses are building up all the time nowadays, so we have to order more wood, but we''d be fighting over the materials. Why? Angier looked at me curiously again, but I know why. If I knew it was the Sculpture Guild, I would know why. Many houses have simple shrines, Angel. We''ll worship our gods and ancestors. Stores had an altar to worship their gods of business. "Oh, yes!There it is! That''s what I mean. It''s not essential, but it''s like furniture. Well, it''s like a whole family now. "Huh? I was mildly surprised. I knew there was a custom of decorating a family home with a family altar, but a family of one is too high a percentage. I asked the wise man''s sword that he carries on his back. Well, it''s not usually that high. The ratio of so-called ''sacred objects'' such as a shrine is 70% in rural areas and about 30% in the city. Why do people order them so much? It''s ...... The man clammed up. His gaze swam and he looked embarrassed. Angier wondered again. Something I''m not supposed to say. "No!It''s not like that. ...... Oh, no, it''s not without permission, "......? I even started to wonder and tilted my head. The man scratched his cheeks, but then, with a look of resignation, he said, "Wait a minute. "Wait a minute, sir. And then he walked into the building. What''s going on? I think they''re going to bring the real thing. "I see. Just as Angier was convinced, the man reappeared. He held a baby-sized wooden statue that he could hold with his arms. The statue is--. It''s Master Alec. Yeah, that''s me. Angier and I wondered. The man looked embarrassed. "We''re inundated with orders for the Vice-Emperor''s statue. And we have some experience making statues of the Vice-Emperor and Astaroth, so... Okay, so that''s what it was all about. "That''s great, Master Alec. It''s going to be a while before you see Master Alec everywhere. Yeah, I guess so. I smiled at him. Nothing, I was just sorry that you were making my statue without permission. I didn''t care. As he said, it''s a little late to be with Astaroth, since we''ve already placed statues of the gods here and there in various villages to receive his blessings. I''m not going to denounce you, but-- But since we are here, I''m going to take advantage of it. "Huh? The pompous man. I reached out and touched the wooden statue in my shape. Using my power as a god, I put my strength into the statue. For a moment the statue flashed divinely. What was that? "A little spell Thank you for your spell ...... in person, Vice Emperor! The man bows his head quickly. "Bring the wood to me once tomorrow. I''ll do it all for you. "Thank you! The man kept lowering his head again and again as if he had become a grasshopper with rice. With that, Angier and I walked away. "Master Alec, what did you do to it? It''s a spell. "Not so. Angel smiled and said, "I mean, what exactly did you do? "I mean, what exactly did you do? Oh, that kind of . Yeah, I put my godlike powers, my godlike powers, into it. I put my godlike power, my divine power, into it, so it doesn''t do much good. You''re right. But a divine power would be a literal statue of a god, wouldn''t it? "Haha, I guess so. Laughing with Angier, I resumed my tour of Avalon in the rush to build. After this, the statues of the gods, with the proclamation, "Personally cleansed by the Vice-Emperor," spread in one room over the whole family. I was busy with the material spell for a while. 170 24. A good man knows his true nature By all means, thank you! A mother holding her newborn baby and a father cuddling with her. They bowed more to me and then walked out of the tent, looking slightly dejected. "It''s unusual for me to slump back down from you. In its place, Eliza came in. Eliza came in again, this time as a sneak peek. Looking even more beautiful today, she walks into the tent and comes to my side. "What''s going on? They asked me to name it. "Name?Oh, to a newborn baby. Nodding to me. A newborn baby in the arms of a young couple. It''s a commonplace scene that I don''t particularly care for, but it''s also a distinctive sight that can''t be mistaken for anything else. "We want you to name your newborn, and today alone is the fifth pair. The fact that you were cold feet means you said no. Why? I think it''s best for children whose parents are still alive and well to have their parents give them a name. A name is the first and most important gift you get from your parents, and it will be used until the end. Yes, that''s why I take the name "Alexander" too. Even though I have memories of my previous life, in my senses, my father and mother are younger than me - younger people. Still, I cherish my name, a gift from my parents. I still remember my former name well, having used it for decades, but I haven''t used it since my rebirth. My name is not the same as "Markosias" or "San". I don''t think it''s right for me to name your child after your parents. So what about true names, baptismal names, and so on? Hmm? You God. Eliza stood and pointed at me with a snap. ...... Yeah, yeah. Technically, I''m a goddess. "It''s okay to be a god, as far as humans are concerned. Yes. "I actually do god-like things, I have goddesses and angels under my command. "...... Yes, I feel a little bit embarrassed just by being able to enumerate all the things I''ve been doing. Especially as of late. To these people of Avalon, you''re like a god. More than a lord. I see. Then give him a name that God will give him, a name that only God can give him, apart from what his parents give him. Just give them a name that only God can give them. The solution offered by Eliza was pretty simple. Rather. Maybe I''ve been thinking too complicated. "It''s Alec''s habit. "My habit? You''re a softie. Zubizh! And for the second time today, it was pointed at me. It was a rather refreshing assessment. "Well, "Or too service-oriented . Okay?Alec, your essence is ''one step ahead''. "One step ahead? Whenever I have to solve something, Alec always goes one step further than the usual solution and has an even better solution. Is that because he has the power, or is that just his personality? "Hm. ...... I see. I''ll take a moment to think and reflect on what we''ve been up to. I can think of a lot of things that come to mind at ....... Well, it''s amazing that you can do that all the time--or at least it''s outrageous. Eliza gave a dumbfounded smile. But it''s basically a softie. Again, if you want to turn it on, turn it on, or don''t turn it on. It''s a good thing that you have your own ...... reasoning, and because it''s contrary to that, you were thinking of something that would satisfy your parents if they would let you wear it. So it bothers me. "Wow, you totally know my thoughts. I''m not a fan of longevity. ELIZA. Well, it''s okay. Because of that mindset, you''ve been doing a lot of new things lately. "Oh ......, I see that''s where it comes from too. "So I don''t say it''s bad, I think it''s rather great. And I''m going to say it on top of that - you''re a good-for-nothing! Three times. Three times, and when the explanation is carefully given. I''m starting to get excited. Well, there was something I wanted to talk to Eliza about. I changed the subject a bit. "What? Like that baby I just saw, I''ve seen dozens of babies born since I''ve been here. "Yes. They all got a B grade or better. "Yes. Yeah, that''s not very responsive. That''s right. I''m afraid it''s going to happen. "Huh? The rank of the soul is also reflected in the place of birth. The higher the rank, the better place to be born. Yes. That''s why I''m a duke, and most emperors are A or S grade. "Alexander Carlyle''s restored utopia of Avalon. It couldn''t have been a better environment. I have reason to believe that good souls will be born here as long as you live. ...... Eliza is amazing, the power of man - the power of a ruler alone controls the flow of the soul. It''s much more than Alec doing it, though. It''s fine, but the fact that this is where the good quality souls Elisa says are gathered, I think it means that there are other wrinkles. "Consult it? "Yes. I nodded. "And Alec is worried about it, but I have no intention of stopping the development of this place. "...... oh I could feel my face flushing and blushing just a little bit. I was supposed to change the subject, and now we''re back to the same story. Yes, I''m not going to stop there either. I''m going to manage the wrinkles as well, assuming that I don''t stop and continue to develop Avalon. That''s exactly what Eliza pointed out. It''s also a trap for me. "Huh? By making this kind of distortion, Alec will eventually save the region, a conglomeration of low-ranking souls, and its people, who will go down in history. And they will be remembered in history. Wow, Eliza. You think that far ahead. Honestly, my hat''s off to you. The way you tried to squeeze all my strength out of me--a godsend. "Don''t make me say it again, Eliza smiles at you. "What''s really great about it is that it''s done, Alec. I just want Alec to go down in history. I was still amazed, I thought. 171 The Good Man Rewrites the Land of Fortune "Thank you! After watching the young couple who drew the lottery and were led out of the tent by the light, Eliza, who was in the same tent, spoke to me. That''s the lottery of fate. I''ve heard about it, but this is the first time I''ve seen it in person. Was it?It''s just something you''ve already seen. "So do I. I''ve heard the stories, so I figured I''d already seen it for some reason or another. It''s strange, isn''t it? I can imagine what Alec would do, and there aren''t many surprises these days. A shrug of the shoulders and a frightened Eliza. "Did Alec pull it off? I didn''t pull it, but Angel did. "Oh, my God, what an embarrassed look on your face. "...... was in your face? I chuckled. I wish I hadn''t told you this, but it''s nothing to hide. It''s a "normal" thing for Angel, too, so it goes without saying, but it''s something that will pop up in the conversation sooner or later, so I decided to explain. It was me. "Alec? "Angel''s place of destiny seems to be near me. "Yeah. Hee hee, that''s hot. Eliza was usually convinced, but soon after, she remembered, she made fun of me in a very conventional way. "I knew it was going to be like this, But it''s not surprising. As I recall, she and I had almost the same rank in our souls. "Yes. A place comparable to being born an Imperial Emperor, well, that''s no surprise. I thought that made sense to me, and I thought Eliza was a great person. So, if I pull it off, will it lead me to the imperial city? Throne. Yeah, maybe. "Can I try to pull it off? Please. I held out the lottery box. A box containing only a blank lottery ticket, a magic trick that, when drawn, reacts to the person''s soul and leads them to their destined place. Eliza put her hand in a casual gesture and drew a lottery ticket. The lottery melted in Eliza''s hand and became a light. A tiny light like a firefly drifted around and pointed to this tent. My God, is this the same as Angel''s? "No, I was glowing in Angel''s time. So the place to be is not Alec, but literally here. I guess that''s what it comes down to. Hmmm, I was thinking of moving the capital, too. "Huh?Were you thinking about that? I was surprised. I was startled by Eliza''s outrageous comment. That''s right. Alec will develop this place, and it will attract high-ranking souls. As long as Alec is alive, you can see this place will grow even more than the Imperial City. "...... I see. If you put it that way, Eliza is certainly right. If you are certain to develop beyond the imperial capital, then you should also be thinking about transferring the capital. But the imperial capital has traditions and such. "It would be foolish to obsess about such things and miss out on the possibility of further development of the empire. That''s true, but At any rate, my place is here. I guess I''m meant to come here eventually. "Not exactly. You don''t have to come here, but it''s best if you do. "It''s not together Yes. I was about to say that not all people can follow their destiny, and then I stopped. Eliza is surprisingly flexible about such things. That''s when she pulled the titles of "Vice Emperor" and "Father of the Nation" out of me, even though she was emperor. ...... Well, here we go. "Huh? I was just thinking about it for a minute when Eliza said something like that. I looked at her and she was grinning. "Well, it''s happening now? "Now that you know where I''m destined to be, you''ve been thinking about something to take it a step further. "Ha ha, you''re all over the place. We''ve known each other a long time. What Elisa said to me days ago. Eliza also said this in words, so it''s clearer than ever. Yes, I feel like I can do something. Even if we don''t have to move to the new capital, it''s still something. "I belong here. What about putting up a grave here?An emperor''s tomb can be erected before his death. "Come to think of it, There are various taboos when dealing with the emperor, but surprisingly, it is not a taboo to consider the tomb after death. Every emperor''s tomb is huge and lavish in every era, and of course, you have to build it before your death in order to finish in time. As Eliza has never had any taboos with me, the topic of the tomb became even more openly discussed. Maybe, the grave could be the place of destiny. Some people have instantaneous Buddha or human pillars that become one with the land. Well, you''ll be here eventually anyway. "...... What do you have in mind? Awesome. Yeah, one good thing. "What? "Hang on a minute. I made a small doll out of a bag of material. It''s a doll in the shape of a man, about the size of a child''s toy. I hold it, cast a spell on it, and then tear it apart in front of Eliza''s eyes. Then the doll was transformed into light and appeared in two places in the tent, on the left and right, in complete opposition. "Hmm, what does that mean? Eliza asks for an explanation, smelling offhandedly that she understands the phenomenon. I point to one side. "The magic school. And pointing to the other side. . here. I said. Eliza was clever, she looked up for a moment and then said, "You even make that thing a dummy. "Even that one is a dummy. I nodded. The magic school is a place where the emperor uses as a last resort when fleeing war or civil war. But it''s also an open secret to some extent. I am now using the power of the angel Azazel to cast a spell that will send me flying directly over there if something happens to Eliza. It''s known to some people, including the principal of the magic school. Conversely, several people know. You''re going to put more insurance on it. "The land of doom, we can use its power to make it even more sure, even with a feint, to fly here. That''s a great idea. Eliza smiled. She seemed to have no objection. Having gotten her nod, I decided to reconfigure my critical thinking skills on her. 172 26. A good man, make his own angel "Master, I have a request to see you. While looking at the house under construction, under construction, the head maid, Amelia, came in. "A visitor?What kind of person? "Dear Mr. Hossen Chohi. I understand you will arrive in about half a day. "Hosen? I thought it was either this Avalon lord or some other guy who wanted to emigrate after me, but I realized that he was a complete stranger. "You came to see me, or rather visit me. Well, ...... what to do. I''m not sure if there''s much more to do at the museum, and the entertainment district on the east side is already up and running. Yes, the merchants were the first to complete it. Mm . The rush to build in towns is supported by carpenters and other manual laborers, who often seek out taverns and other evening entertainment. Therefore, here in Avalon, the entertainment district is taking shape faster than in the residential areas, and people and goods - that is, money - are coming and going more frequently. I''ll rent out a bar and host Hossen there. "I''ll get right to it. Amelia bowed curtly and went off to prepare for Hossen''s arrival. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen Hossen, so I should give him a warm welcome. God. "Vice-Emperor. As I was thinking about how to entertain them, another voice now called to me. When I turned around, the two beautiful people there had a determined look on their faces. . A short distance to the east of the TNM (under construction) is the red-light district, the finest three-story tavern in the district. We entered together in a private room on the top floor. Oh, I''ve been waiting for you. ...... Looking out the big window, Hossen, who had already started drinking, turned to me. But then he turns his eyes away, opens his mouth wide, and trails off. What''s the matter? "--Ha!Brother-in-law!That''s it! Horsen stood up quickly and ran over to me, squared his shoulders and patted me on the back. Hossen was stunned, and then delighted to see two women entering the room together on either side of me. Mia and Lilly. One in a princess dress and the other in a princess dress. Mia wearing a white dress I made that is self-repairing. One and the other a nightdress. Lilly in a black dress with a high level of class and sensuality that you would expect to find in a lady''s dress. And I, who follow you as if you were my favorite princess. Hossen patted me further on the back. Yes!A big guy has to be like this. Or, rather-- Hossen looked at them again. He looked at them again for a moment and then. "--Good!Awesome!It''s perfect. And raved about it unreservedly. Compliments. Praise me. Come on." "Kaa, that was awesome, dude. You''re perfect. "What''s perfect? "Don''t you know?Come on, brother-in-law. He took me to a table and sat down with me, shoulder to shoulder, as if he was going to take me in halfway. "These two are beautiful, and I can tell right away, ''they ain''t cheap''. "Not cheap? Hey. For example, if you put pretty hookers in the room, their air makes a man look like a rich or blind a**h*le. That''s an exaggeration, isn''t it? I''d rather have a nobleman''s widow on my side, even if she''s a little old, than just pretty and empty. I know what you mean. It was a bit of a chuckle. Hossen''s speech was radical. "Of course, clean and classy is best. That''s true. "These two guys are both. Yeah, I think so. Hossen''s words came around, but I didn''t feel bad because he was complimenting both Mia and Lily. No, I was proud of them. Above all, they''re doing my brother-in-law a favor! Shh!And pointing towards them, Hossen said, "I''m not proud of my good looks, and I''m not showing off my class. "It''s not to boast your good looks or to show off your grace. Neither beauty nor grace is meant to attract the Lord. I know these things. Hey. Hossen turned the water on them. "You could do a lot better than that if you just make it look pretty, couldn''t you? And asked in a tone that looked like a question but was really just a confirmation. Mia and Lilly didn''t shut up. It was acquiescence. You see, "I don''t think it''s something Hosen would dignify. What do you mean, I''m the only person in the entire Empire who can see this. "You''re a sommelier. That''s what I thought. Horsen''s is not just an aesthetic eye, so it must be something close to a special skill, just like he is proud of. If that''s the case - I thought - and glanced at them. They must have worked very hard to become such a special kind of beauty. Give me a boost. "So where do we go from here, brother-in-law? "Huh? "Your Majesty has told you?You want to make these two even prettier?And if you''ve noticed by my words now, then I''m sure this step is not what my brother-in-law intended. Oh, boy. I scratched my cheek and chuckled. "Eliza might make things harder for you, "Come on, it''s a good thing. And what do you do? Well, ......, let''s just make it simple and clean looking. From what I''ve heard, it seems we can make the adjustments ourselves. "How do you do it? Horsen''s eyes were twinkling like a young child receiving a birthday present. I touched the wise man''s sword on my back and pulled out the knowledge. I reached into my bag of materials I carry around, recombined the materials to create the object and pulled it out. He pulled out two vials. It''s an amber liquid. What''s this? I''ve heard that there are several ways for a woman to become beautiful, but the one that works best is to fall in love. "Oh. Hossen nodded widely and answered immediately. I didn''t like the idea of a bearded hero answering that question immediately, but he went on. It''s a love potion. Oh, don''t get me wrong, it''s not a love potion. It literally just makes you feel in love. I see, you''re forcing me to be beautiful in love mode. That''s what I mean. Theoretically, this should make you clean to the limit. Nodding, he turned to Mia and Lily. "It''s not a very nice thing to do, because it twists the other person''s mind in a way, but... "God''s grace, you can''t reject it. "Thank you. Without hesitation, both Mia and Lily took the vial from me and drank the liquid inside. "Haha, that''s my brother-in-law''s girl. So, when do you think you''ll be able to take effect? You should be out soon. "Oh. Hossen nodded. For a moment, I stared at Mia and Lily with him. The potion, made according to the knowledge of the Philosopher''s Sword, was supposed to take effect in less than thirty seconds - but three minutes passed and nothing changed. But three minutes went by and nothing happened. What''s going on? Well, that''s what happens. What does that mean, Hosen? "These two have been in love with my brother-in-law from the start. You''ve already mastered your beauty for your brother-in-law. Really? Startled, you look at the two of them. Mia and Lilly look at each other. She shyly looks away for a moment. "Wha-ha, you look irresistible, brother-in-law. Well, these failures are rather good, the drinks are going to be good today. Hossen laughed out loud and yelled at me to bring him some drinks and food. Not that I''m a failure, but I thought to myself, "Well, I guess I''ll just have to go to ....... . That night, in my study that I had set up temporarily. Under the moonflower-powered lights, I called Mia and Lilly. "You called, God, Yes, I have a proposal for you two. I beg your pardon. Anything we can do to help. Lilly, who had undertaken before hearing the content . The momentum was such that it could be called a cheap contract, but Mia had the same look in her eyes as Lily. I think it''s safe to say that if that drug doesn''t make you beautiful, then you two have perfected the art of looking beautiful. I''m sorry. "I don''t think there''s much more to it. "There suggestions I held out my hand. On the palms of my hands were dewdrop-shaped lumps of blood-colored blood. Like jewels, maybe an earring or a pendant. "Here''s something you should try, it works-- Before I could finish, Mia and Lily stepped out at the same time to take it and drink it all at the same time. Was this another effect of strength of feeling? It seems to imply that you''re open to everything I suggest. My chest heats up. Thank you. "There is no way I would disobey God''s proposal. "I''m sure it''s something that would benefit us. The trust was also great. "Yes, thank you. I''ll just explain it to you. "Ha! I understand. "It''s my blood that''s been refined. The effect is a pseudo-angel. It''s an application of the divinity''s ability. It''s the kind of thing that keeps your lifespan as long as a person, but doesn''t age in appearance. ""--!" The two looked at each other in amazement for the first time when the effect was explained to them. That is, immortality. Fading good looks are what most women want. It seemed appropriate for two people who had pursued beauty and reached the pinnacle of their looks. Thank you, God. "Thank you! Now for the inside. "Yes, if you keep this look going and work on your age-old insides. "You can be more godly, left and right Mia and Lily nod to each other. They may not look the same anymore, but their feelings make them even prettier. I was convinced of that. 173 27. Good people lock out fraud "Dear Alec, do you have a moment of your time? A mansion under construction, a temporary tent in front of it. While I was giving the maids of honor their duties, Angier arrived. She looks unusually happy. I held out my hand to temporarily stop all the maids from looking like this. I''m sorry Alec. ...... "No, Angel-- "It''s more important that you look like that, Angel. What''s going on? "Leave it to me if you''re a ruffian. Almost as I was about to say, the maids of honor rushed over to the dejected Angier. I can''t help but notice that Angier looks like that, just like me. I''m a little burned out. I ended up muttering something like. "Thank you guys. Mr. Alec, ...... this is what I''m talking about. I knew it had to be me, but Angier handed me a bill in his hand. I took it and stared at the front and back. It''s just a piece of paper with a similar () pattern on it. What''s this? It''s all the rage in town these days. Well, people are donating more and more, especially the elderly. "Donations? With a nod of the head, I look at Amelia standing some distance away. Perhaps in keeping with her position as head maid, she didn''t run to Angier, unlike the other maids. Her face was worried, but she had a look of concern on it. After me, or rather Amelia, who would have a better grasp of some of the details than me. Turning the water on, she nodded quietly. "Yes, I see that tendency. Why? "Donations are the easiest and quickest ''good deed'' to do, "Yes. "Many old people have a pervasive desire to be born in Avalon from the start of their next life, and it''s a sign of that. I see. Yeah, the more good deeds you do, the more likely you are to be born here, that''s for sure. After coming to Avalon and starting the rebirth of this land, most of the new born souls are B-ranked or higher. A B-rank is not a particularly great achievement, but it''s a rank of a good person that ninety-nine out of a hundred people would say, "He''s a good person. I don''t know that, but the only way to be reborn again in this place that has gradually come to be regarded as "paradise" is to do good deeds. That''s a natural idea. What''s that about? Again, turn to Angier. "I''ve been selling those bills lately. It''s called a merit badge. "Merit mark? It''s getting a little weird. Well, it''s not like they''re for sale. It''s just that every person who accepts a donation gets one, and if you keep it, you''ll be reborn the next time. "...... I understand exactly what Angier is trying to say, and why he looks like that. "Yes ...... Angier sinks a bit again. This merit badge, as Angier first used the word, is in fact "sold". And it''s also a scam. This paper itself, as I observed right after receiving it from Angel, is just a paper with a pattern on it that has no effect. That is to say, it''s an old man''s wish - or perhaps anxiety. Or maybe it''s a con that takes advantage of it. "Thank you, Angel. I stood up and, weaving through the surrounding maids, stood in front of Angel and took her hand. I wrapped it around me and smiled. "I''ll take care of the rest. "Yes!Please, Mr. Alec. So, I''ll stop all work for now. Say and look around in a circle. The maids all nodded clearly and had a strong light in their eyes. "Would you like to see me? It was Amelia, the head maid, who asked. After that, the other maids began to exchange ideas one after another. "Do you want me to alert them that it''s a fake? I think it''s good to spread the word that no one but the master does this kind of thing and that it''s meaningless. "You should be punished severely, so you don''t have to. "Let''s do something more fundamental than that. "Fundamental thing? Angier nodded his head and expressed his doubts. In the end, I think it''s the fear of not knowing what''s next in life that does it. People who have done good things don''t have that kind of anxiety, do they? It certainly is. We can visualize it. Hold out your hand and concoct a force - the divine power of a divine person. A ball of light appears in the air in front of you. What is this? Prototype for now. That''s right: ...... Chosen. "Yes. One of the lady''s maids, the Duke''s daughter Chosen Oin, responds and steps forward. Touch me. "Will Chosen touched the ball of light just as she was told. The light spread out and was sucked into her body. Ah, ...... A small voice comes out of Chosen. A little sorry, but also happy. You understand? Yes. Thank you, master. Chosen thanked me with moist eyes. "Uh, ......? Angier and the other maids wondered why they couldn''t understand the situation. I explained. It''s a graph of a person''s good deeds - which we''ll call it, but it''s like a graph, so that the person who touches it can see it. I asked Chosen to touch it because it must have been the most ''elevated'' of all of us. I don''t know what the next life would have been like if the master hadn''t pulled me back. ...... Thanks, but also some fear on her face. Everyone knows that she was a selfish girl when she came to me, and we all know that the degree of selfishness will be low after her rebirth. You showed it clearly and that''s why you have this look on your face, everyone understands in unison. Let''s make it easier to check this. If we know this, we won''t be fooled, right? "Yes!I think so! "It''s like a real last referee''s mock trial. It also gives us a chance to test and redo. I knew the master was great. Surrounded by Angel''s twinkling eyes and the words of the maids, I kept inventing the most useful form. I kept devising the most convenient form. 174 28. Good people, kind and strict "Oh my God, did you finally become a narcissist? "Eliza I turned around with a bitter smile and saw Eliza walking into the room, grinning. She came alongside me and we looked at it together. "It''s a wooden statue of Alec, isn''t it? Yeah, I got one made here and there in Avalon now. "What are you doing? You''re not really going to look at this and say, ''I''m beautiful''? What kind of character do I become in Eliza''s mind? I protest with a laugh. I know that Eliza was not serious, and that it was a light joke, so I lightly returned it. ...... You''re not serious. I''m not, I''m talking about a test of good behavior. That''s what Angier was talking about. Nodding at me. If you''re hearing from Angel, you''re not talking. I''m wondering what you''re going to do with it. "What''s so difficult to talk about?Or did you make it harder again? "Ha-ha. Chuckle. It''s really quite obvious to Eliza. Yeah, I made it harder. Anyway, I made it work if you pray to this. Let''s see. ...... Eliza folded her hands in front of my wooden statue and prayed like a pious nun Then the wooden statue lit up, and her body lit up too. I see. I''m about a B. "Mmm, I must have made a mistake. Eliza can''t be that low. "No, I agree with you. "Huh? Unlike Alec, we have to do a lot of bad things. Elisabeth with a grin and a mischievous smile. The Imperial Emperor, Elisabeth C. Forsyth. That reminds me. She''s a mixed breed of politician. She probably does a lot of things that I don''t know about. But thank you for this. As much as I like to think I am, I''m on the right track. I see. That''s too low by my standards (), but it''s okay if he''s comfortable with it. So what do you want to do on top of this? "It''s sad when low people stay low. I see. Hey. Hmm? "Alec, we used to play that lottery, Is that lottery a part of ...... the sorting of the place to live? Shit. Nodded, put his hands on his hips and held up his fingers. ''Can''t you put those together?Guiding you to do good things, and so on. "...... I see! Eliza''s advice seemed to clear the way for me. A few days later, in the town square of Avalon was unveiled a stone statue. In the square, I had the statue made not of wood or statue, but of stone, to be thrown out into the open. In front of the statues, the people kneel down and pray one after another. Joy and sorrow. That''s exactly what it looked like. As a result of the goodness check, some are happy and some are disappointed. Of course, the one with the higher degree of good deeds is happy and the one with the lower degree is discouraged. Once again, we can see how the two ideas of karma and reincarnation have spread among the people. From afar, Eliza and Angel were watching this from a distance. You''re very popular. Yeah, I guess people do care. That''s true. . or maybe it''s Alec''s fault too. "Huh?Does that mean I care about good behavior?Not from before? It used to be a lot fuzzier, it was just something. It was that night that changed. "That night? "It''s about Herschel''s secret formula, isn''t it? Angier answered for him. One of Herschel''s secrets. The release of ten million souls imprisoned for hundreds of years, their rebirth as a higher rank known to the world. Or perhaps a hallucination, or perhaps a revelation. That''s what the whole world saw in this one. Yeah. To Alec''s way of thinking, I wouldn''t know what to do with it for hundreds of years. I wanted to argue with Eliza''s words - but I had no way to argue with her because I didn''t understand until Angier told me, even though I had my memories before my reincarnation. "That caused a revolution in the human mind. The thing that you thought was ''there'' before, became ''I knew it was there''. I see, since then. "So it''s Alec''s fault You will be. I smile slightly. I see, I did this. So. Hmm? You don''t think this is the only one, do you? Yeah, it''s working. I know, that woman over there--that woman in the front row praying over and over again. "That guy who can''t accept low rankings and repeats himself? "Yes. I nodded. Both Eliza and Angier looked at the person at the same time. Most people who are checked for their good deeds by prayer become virtuous and leave. People have some idea about their actions, and if you check them fairly, the results will naturally be satisfactory. Sometimes there are people who are not satisfied with the results, and those people are usually in the form of "too low to be satisfied". That is the case with the person I showed you. That person went back and forth several times, but when she found out that the result was the same no matter what she did, she was about to walk away discouraged. Then a small, firefly-like light appeared in front of her. The light guides her. A people of Avalon, drawing lots, she followed, surprised. As she passed by, an old woman was there. She''s staring at the paper as she wanders about the city. A lost child, plainly visible. Just as she passes the old woman, the fireflies go out. The woman is puzzled and looks around. But she doesn''t see anything, swears, and is gone again. Me, Eliza, and Angel watched the whole thing. "You tried to get me to help it. . yes. . a guide to good behavior. "You can''t force me? "...... by my standards, Turn your head to the side while saying. You will be staring straight at Eliza, who is standing beside you. "I don''t think it''s a good thing if I don''t mean to do something good and it ends up being a good deed, or I don''t think it''s a good thing if I don''t mean to do something bad, but I don''t think it''s a good thing to punish people for doing bad things by accident. ...... good or bad behavior depends on one''s heart? "Yes. Eliza is the Emperor. The reigning prince of the emperor. If you only counted her actions, she would certainly be a B, but I''d say an S would be just fine. That''s a tough standard. By God''s--the standard of a real God. "I wonder. Yes, because there is only ''God'' to judge it. Because there is only ''God'' to judge it. Maybe. I felt a little sad when Eliza said that to me. I felt as if she had implied that I was too idealistic. But I get it. I''ll show you around, but you''ll have to find out for yourself and cultivate the desire to do good things. "Yeah, that''s what it was supposed to feel like. So Eliza and Angel agreed. "That''s tough, Alec. "I think Master Alec is kind. It''s too hard, it''s too hard. "I think it''s too kind, Somehow, Eliza and Angel started to argue about opposite things between me and them. They stared at each other for a while, and then... Well, it could have gone either way. "I think so too . Gentle, but tough. That''s it. This time they nodded and convinced each other. Well, one thing is for certain. Well, one thing is for certain...it''s from the perspective of a god, not a man. And that''s a lot more divine than some snob. "Because Master Alec is an amazing person. And as usual, the two of us were able to put together an assessment of me. 175 29. Good people get a lot of authority "Sir, Alexander Carlyle. It is a pleasure to see your jade face. In the vast audience room, my voice echoes through the room. The ministers, officials, and soldiers around me are looking at me with sublime eyes. Meanwhile, the emperor on his throne, Elisabeth C. Forsyth herself, looks vaguely unhappy. "Raise your head, Sir Alexander. There is no need for you to bow your head any longer. "Grateful happiness Saying that, I stop bowing on one knee and stand up. I meet eyes with Eliza. She looks at me accusingly and says, "What are you doing here. "I would like your permission to do something, Your Majesty. What A few titles of nobility and a quasi-baronetcy, if you will. What, you''re a piece of work. Oh. "Father of the Nation is finally here, too? But you are not yet married to Angelica, are you? "Well, congratulations anyway. There was a murmur and then a near-cheer from the surroundings. It''s a common joking pattern between emperors and nobles. A high-ranking nobleman''s parometer of his status and power is whether or not his child will be given the rank of nobleman when he is born. In fact, right after I was born, my father took the plunge and gave me a baronetcy, so I became a baronet before I could crawl or even call him father. That much is obvious. No, not really. That''s a shame. The Sir''s bloodline should be preserved for posterity. You had better think about that. "Thank you. Dodging Eliza''s teasing and sort of social graces, we''ll get down to business. The main thing that brought me here today. I flew directly from Avalon to the imperial capital to find out why I had an audience with the Emperor. To give to the merchant. Merchants? The buzz grows. "I''m surprised you''ve taken up a sideline as a drug dealer, Sir. Eliza laughed with great pleasure. I''d feel safer if you were a drug dealer. Sir, you''re too perfect. "You''ve got to be kidding me. What do you do? "I''m not here yet. ...... explain from the beginning. I think I''ve grown to be more tolerant of what you do, but as expected, I can''t imagine anything. When Eliza said that, the ministers around her nodded. It''s nothing. We want to attract merchants to Avalon. "At the end of the day, it''s bait. "Yes, sir. I would like to give it to the merchant who brought the industry to Avalon. "Why limit it to that? We''re trying to bring in industry, but we want to bring in industries that require equipment, such as spinning. "Hmm. "It''s the same as farmland, Your Majesty. A farmer cannot leave the land he has so carefully cultivated. If you weigh the labor invested in it against the labor to start over. Merchants are no different. Once you bring in merchants who need a big investment, they will stay on the same land for ten, even twenty years. "Hmm. "I see, that''s my father, I know the people and the land, but I don''t think about the merchants. I''m not going to be able to leave the house I live in, either. "You''re just poor. Ministers and officials joke around. It''s a joke that gets passed around, but that''s exactly what happens when you can''t leave the house you''re used to living in. People who rent houses move on, but people who buy houses are tied to the land for years. It''s the same thing. Eliza thought about it. Give the merchant a nobleman''s degree. I''m not saying it''s unheard of, but I know it''s not so fun for a native born nobleman. That''s why I came out in person and asked in public. I was wondering if that would work. Just when I was wondering if it would work. "Okay. "Oh, thank you, Your Majesty. "Mm. Father of the Nation Alexander Carlyle. "Haha! You are free to give it to anyone below you. "Thanks--what? I was about to say, surprise. I stared at Eliza with a great deal of surprise, so much so that it flipped me over. The ...... Your Majesty?What do you say now? "Hmm?Sorry, wrong. "Isn''t it? Just when I was about to be relieved. "You''re free to go lower than the Vice-Emperor. But you can''t let the vice emperor be a random person. "Yeah! Another surprise. You got it wrong there! Is that what you want me to do? "You don''t even have to report it, you can allocate the territory as long as it''s Avalon. "Oh, thank you. I was slightly overwhelmed by the unexpected answer. "That''s my father, "Your trust is strong with His Majesty. The buzz around us was also very positive and increasingly tense. 176 30. Good people, make a system The day after. I was strolling through the streets of Avalon with Angel. Our busyness had finally settled down and we had more time to roam around the city aimlessly. "Master Alec!Look at that. "Hmm?Oh, it''s a mimic bird. "Yes! Angier points to a bird shop. It''s the fad among the imperial high ranks to keep the birds, considered "elegant". It''s a pet store, so to speak, that only sells birds. "That''s great, Master Alec. A store like this shouldn''t be possible in a big city. I know. It''s a total hobby, no, it''s a ''hobby'' that''s a notch higher than that," the bird said. "This place looks great, too: ...... Angel, looking around the city with a twinkle in her eye . Because she came with me, she knows what it was like when this was a desolate and poisonous land. She sees what it was like when it was an empty wilderness. "Huh? "What is it, Mr. Alec? "That Woman: ...... Following my gaze, Angier . They look ahead and see a woman in armor leading a group of soldiers. A rare sight in the Empire. "Ah, there''s Ms. Reese. "You know? "Yes. He''s a very strong man leading the vigilante. I know people like that. Let''s see, ...... and I was just trying to cure your injuries. You fight monsters and you''re always injured. "I see. Angier is trying to enhance his healing magic. So that''s the connection. "He''s a great guy, Mr. Reese. Everyone says a man would be as good as Master Hosen, "Huh. That''s great. Women can''t get ahead in the Empire. They can''t get knighthoods or titles, to be exact. If they insist, they are made daughters-in-law or sisters-in-law of the emperor and made members of the royal family. ...... That''s a waste of time. "What is? "Angel, you know Mr. Reese? "Yes ...... what is it? Tell him to come to the house later. "Yes, I understand. I didn''t say what I wanted to do, but Angier strode away to tell a non-suspecting, glancing Reese. I was left behind, so I turned on the kiboshiki and headed back to the mansion, putting together a concrete shape in my head. . Inside the almost-completed mansion of the lord, in its parlor. I was face to face with Rhys, a woman swordsman in armor. "Pleasure to meet you, Alexander Carlisle. "I''m sorry!My name is Rhys Current. Don''t be so shy. I have a favor to ask you. "Whatever!If the Father of the country''s order, I''ll be prepared to crush you to pieces. It''s not that dangerous. I chuckled. I think I''ve learned a lot about her character in these few moments. "I wonder if you''ll accept my title. "The title, is it? Puzzled Reese, I continue. Yes, it''s for a woman, and I want Mr. Reese to be the first. It''s called--The Fifth Class Imperial Envoy. It''s a combination of my sub-emperor and heavenly messengers. It''s your first, so start with fifth class. Reece stood up with a flash of blood and knelt there and hung his head. "I would never accept such a title!I am honored! You''ll get it. "Ha! "Well, here you go. Then he held out a batch made of baboons. "What''s this? The proof of your title, wear it when you go out, and the Fifth Earl, identify yourself with your name. "Ha!I understand! And you know what-- I beckon to Reese and whisper in her ear. To impress her that this is the point, the point. Stars You''re starting to do something interesting. A few days later, when Eliza came to visit, as usual, she said, "I''ve already heard of her. "I''ve already heard of Eliza. That''s all over town. All the women are out there, eager to get their hands on a title from you. I''m glad you did. Just so we''re clear, that''s a replacement for a title. That''s what I thought. Why did you do that? To motivate the women. Eliza can''t do it because of her ties, but it''s a waste of time. What a waste? Half of the world is made up of women, so I thought it would be faster to motivate half the women in the world to develop. Then I have one more suggestion, something more motivational. What do you mean? "Alec''s maids, make them all first class emissaries. That way, their motivation will be at the highest level-- Yeah, I already did that. "Huh? Elisabethabeth. "Amelia, Chosen. Call the maid''s name and summon two people from the shadows. On the maid''s chest, there was a batch made of baboons. By the way, Amelia''s was slightly more luxurious and larger. Technically, only head maid Amelia is first class, but everyone else is second class. You''re ahead of the game, I''m impressed. Eliza shrugged. No, thanks Elisa. It''s amazing that you can come up with an idea that doesn''t originate with you, but you make use of it. "...... is for me, "Huh?What did you say? Anything. All right, I wanted first prize, but I''ll have to settle for second prize. "Huh?Oh, shit. I chuckled and Eliza chuckled. She quickly stepped into my shadow, changed into a maid''s outfit and came out. The Maid Eliza. Since I wasn''t the head maid, she was to be my second in command. 177 31. The Good Man Decorates the Goddess The mansion of the lords, my study. The goddess Astaroth, whom I had called, stood before me. In a corner of the room was Mari and her maid, Agnes, busily at work. "Now then, the agricultural part of Avalon, please. "Okay, I''ll take care of it, Lord. The settlement of Avalon was well underway. Many people were farming and it was almost time for the first harvest. I have summoned the goddess of fertility, Astaroth, to bring her blessings on the harvest. "I am sorry to interfere with the Lord''s arrangements, My level of guidance. I''ve guided him to the land where he can do the most good, but it''s not a guarantee of success. You still need the power of Astaroth to bring about a good harvest. The Lord''s trust, we will see it for sure. "Yes, thank you. Please, Astaroth. "...... "...... The conversation died down, and I went to my office to look over the report papers that had come up on another matter. Suddenly, I realized that Astaroth was still there. The asterot was still there. "What is it, Astaroth? "...... No "?What''s bothering you? "...... Astaroth looked complicated and looked away. I put the papers down. I was curious about Astaroth''s reaction. ''What''s bothering you?Tell me, what can I do to help?Astaroth has always been a great help to me. I am grateful. I have no regrets at all, just to hear the Lord say so. You''re overreacting. What the hell is going on?I''m curious, so I hope you''ll talk to me properly. I said more forcefully. I took a slightly commanding tone. I knew that Astaroth would not tell me otherwise. "I was wondering if I should reincarnate as a ...... man. "Huh?You mean from a goddess to a man?Why? "I want to be the Lord''s servant. ...... "My servant? I wondered what this was all about. Astaroth glanced around the corner of the room and saw the maid Agnes. "An imperial messenger. A servant of the Lord, who shares his meaning with the angels. Yes, the word is a reference to the angel ...... and you want to be it? "Yes ...... "What''s that? I got up and approached Astaroth. The beautiful, mature, motherly, beautiful Astaroth, just like a goddess, is a goddess in appearance. I walk up to her, take out a medal I have in reserve and put it on her chest. This is it! "I didn''t do it because I thought it would be rather rude to make her a real goddess, but if Astaroth wanted to, "First Class Imperial Envoy: ...... He alternately compares me to the medal that was given to him with astonishment. The words are based on angels, but the ranks are based on imperial titles. Five levels, from duke to baron, are used as a number. So a first class imperial envoy is the equivalent of a duke. "Well, such a high ranking I-- I told you I was grateful. "I said I was grateful, and that''s no surprise, considering all that Astaroth has done for me. "The Lord ...... "Hawa ...... is an amazing sight Greatness is master. "In, right? In the corner of the room calls Mari, one of the two people who were marveling at the exchange between me and Astaroth. "Mari. "Yes, yes! "Avalon and Alexander the Confederate Territories are hereby notified that they will make the goddess Astaroth their first imperial envoy. Goddess Astaroth is to be made a first-class imperial envoy. I understand. At the same time, the Alexander Confederacy is to place the Order of the First Imperial Messenger on the statue of Astaroth. Up to this point, in the official document, put in a p.s. or something like that, as a joke: ''If you don''t wear it, you won''t know if the goddess bends her navel.'' "Hoe ...... Wow, I get it! Mari hurriedly put away the document. Meanwhile, Astaroth was increasingly impressed. Gods and angels have slightly different values from humans, but their mental structure is not so different from humans. The soul is the same one, so it''s not surprising, I guess. Astaroth wanted to become an "imperial messenger". And so far, I''ve often been stingy with my blessings, unless there''s a statue of me and Astaroth, and I''m not high up in the world. He seriously calls me "Lord" and it often comes out in his actions. That''s what I''ve fulfilled now. I know the feeling. When you receive your greatest treasure, you want to show it off. As he had hoped, Astaroth became more and more happy. 178 32. The Good Man Invents the Most Powerful Characters In the lord''s house, in the study. I am holding a pen and drawing on paper. Eliza, the maid, is supporting me. She stared at me for a moment, and then said. "Master, what is this you are doing? I''m drawing a picture to give you instructions. "Instructions? "When you give out a charade, for example in a rural area, someone will read it for you and tell everyone. "Yes. So I thought I''d draw a picture of a touch, so that people who don''t understand the letters can understand it. Of course, I''ll use it in combination with the text. Is that so? When Eliza was convinced, I concentrated on painting again. I''ve never seen the master paint before. "Hmm?Was it? "Yes, you are very good. I''m amazed. I used to write a lot. Is that so?I was surprised to hear that from Master Angier, who never told me that. "Oh ...... I chuckled. I was mistakenly reincarnated with the memories of my past life. This "past" was before my reincarnation, my previous life. So it''s natural that even if we''ve been together for a long time, Angier still doesn''t know. That''s because it was before I met Angel. "So good so long ago!Master is amazing. ...... Eliza was amazed and impressed with her bare skin. Meanwhile, she finished the painting and saw Mari at her desk in the corner of the room. "Mari. "Yes. Mari rushes up to me in a flurry. Look at this and write down what I want to say. Just write down what you feel, exactly as you feel. I understand. Mari receives a drawing and returns to her desk. Recently, she has been taking on my "letter work", which may have helped her gain confidence, but she is no longer as frightened as she was in the beginning. I''m a strong girl to begin with, so I hope she continues to grow up well. ...... I''m looking at you, not at Angel, but at Mari as well. I''m going to leave this to Mari for now: ...... What is it, Eliza? It''s unusual to think while working as a maid. "Ah. Eliza comes to her senses when I point out that she''s thinking about something. Yes, she looks up at the ceiling and seems to be thinking about something. "I''m sorry master! "Okay. Tell me what you were thinking about. It''s about Eliza, so it must be important to you. "Master ...... Eliza was so impressed that her eyes watered. My thing ...... so much ...... Yes, I think Eliza is a great person. I think she''s a great person ... even if she''s a mixture of pure and unadulterated, I''m sure she''ll have an A-plus in her next life, that''s about it. "Master ...... "Eliza couldn''t have just stood there. What were you thinking about? "Yes, it''s a character thing, "Characters? I was thinking about education and how to make it more literate. "I see. It''s not a maid Eliza, but the thoughts of Emperor Elisabeth. Although she is perfectly maid in appearance, gestures, and tone of voice before and after being pointed out, she is still fundamentally an emperor - a ruler. It would be better to know the letters. "Yes. "I think so too! Mari, who had just dumped the job, insisted. She is experiencing it more strongly because she is the child I taught her to write. I see, I''m going to make you literate: ...... I''ve thought about it too. I think it''s pretty important. There''s gotta be a better way. I can learn the letters if I manage in person like Mari did, but I can''t go around giving them to all the people. It would be enough for me if I could read, even if I couldn''t write like the master''s drawings. "--Ha!That''s it! "Huh? "Nice one, Eliza, that''s it. Eliza to be pompous. The idea came raining down like a revelation. I went back to my desk, picked up the pen and thought for a minute. Think and ask myself and then run the pen over the paper. How''s that?Can you read? Hold up the paper and show them both. Read ......? "I can''t read it, "Oh. . then what is this? No. No. "Finally this? "Don''t be silly? "Don''t be silly, right? "Oh, ...... He put the paper on the desk again and stared at it. I can''t read. No, you can''t. Don''t be silly. All they said was what I wrote on the paper. Huh?But how could you read ...... now? "Speaking of which! Both Eliza and Mari realized that late. Yes, the letters I wrote were new to them. In fact, they were characters that did not yet exist in the world. And yet I could read them just by looking at them. And both of them could read them without any discrepancies at all. "What are those letters, master? "No name yet, I just made it up. ".................. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! There was a pause for a few seconds, then they were both profusely surprised. Did you make it? "Did you make the letters? "Yeah, I just made it up. I don''t have enough words or anything like that yet, but I know that I can make it in this direction. "Made by ...... such ...... "Amazing ...... No, great is great, but what''s even more great is that everyone can read it, master. "Ah. Eliza was the first to notice. "Yes, it was made to be so. "Is that how it works? I don''t read it with my head knowledge, but with my soul. It''s more like reading with your soul, not your head knowledge. It''s like a kind of spell that works directly on the soul. I think a human soul, a soul that keeps reincarnating, could theoretically be read by a human or an animal, a god or a demon. "".................." "What''s the matter with you two? "Oh no. I''m so amazed that I''m at a loss for words ...... Smile back at them and think some more. For the time being, I''ll make it up as I go along. It''s hard for anyone but me to write. Well, as long as the whole human race can read it, it should work for now. 179 33. Good people, cashless "Oh, it''s cool. When I opened the box, I couldn''t help but smile at the pleasantly cool air that came out of the box. Xiao Mei, who had been looking at me nervously behind me, said happily, "Thank you! Thank you! Are all the materials in this box refactory? "Yes, I had the refacto given to me by Mr. Alexander processed. I made a double-layered structure, filled the hollow with water, and froze it in perpetual freeze. I see." "Well, if it''s freezing inside, you can''t touch the ice directly, it''s cold to the touch, but not too cold refactory. You think, Xiao Mei. "--Ha!Thank you! Praised by me, Xiao Mei, making her beautiful face smile more and more. A refacto material that keeps the temperature no lower than necessary. It was I who ordered Xiaomei to develop a "refrigerator" using it. Food poisoning among the population is far more common in the summer than in the winter. This is because the summer temperature causes food to spoil. The idea that if the food can be stored in the refrigerator, food poisoning will be reduced drastically even in the summer, ordered the development and Xiaomei responded to it. "We started out with the outside, but that would cause things to stick together, so we put everything inside, Yes, well thought out. Thank you, thank you Xiao Mei. "Such a ...... Xiaomei bashfully. The first student of my magic school has grown up to be not only a first-rate person in terms of looks, but also in terms of magic and ideas. Yeah, I think that''ll work. Just take your time and think about mass producing the rest. "Yes, that''s it, Hmm? Copper is in short supply these days, so it may take some time to mass produce it. "Is there copper in this?Or rather, why is copper in short supply? Well, what I''ve heard is that people are spending money because they have hope for their lives, and that''s why they''re making so many coppers, and that''s why they''re not enough. Oh, and by the way, you''ve been doing a lot of brass recasting. Issuance of coins is the prerogative of the ruler. When Avalon emigrated, Eliza gave me partial permission to mint copper and silver coins. So I kept minting them. I see. So that''s why I ran out of copper. Yes, there are too few coppers these days. There are too few coppers these days, and they''re more expensive than silver. "Are you saying that the value of a copper coin is greater than a silver coin? "Yes. That''s why I''m told that people shop only in silver, not in coppers, and that it''s somewhat inconvenient. "I see. ...... I put my hand to my chin and thought. Monetary instability is directly related to the instability of the whole society. This is the type of problem that needs to be solved as soon as possible. I''ve got to do something. * So I''ve decided to end the current shortage of coppers. So I thought I''d ask Eliza''s permission. In the lord''s house, in the study. He said to Eliza, who was sitting at her desk, right next to the office desk. She''s a burglar. "Found the copper mine?If it''s mining rights, why bother asking for permission, just give it to me after the fact? Are you sure? I chuckled a little. "It''s not me and Alec. Besides, Alec is an SSS-ranked good guy who has the credentials to do no wrong. "I''m glad to see that trust and confidence. "Phew! ...... Smiling Eliza. I''m happy, and she seems happy too. "But no, it''s not because it''s a copper mine that I bothered to ask for permission. "So, a silver mine?Do you want to work on that one because it''s more used for silver? "Nope. I shook my head. Copper and silver are different. "I think Avalon will grow more and more in the future. So copper and silver will not only be used for money, they will be used on a daily basis, and I think there will be more shortages than there are now. "You mean to make it with different material from ......? "Yeah, that''s Eliza. Could it be ...... bills! Eliza gasped, and then a glint of excitement flashed in her eyes. Why are you so happy? I''ve been thinking about it. I''ve been thinking about it for a long time, to convert some of the money to paper, which would make it easier to carry around and stimulate more business, but I''ve been having problems with counterfeit bills, so I gave it up. But I''m sure Alec will be able to help you with that at ....... Eliza became more and more excited. The childlike joy of finding a toy and the calm joy of the regulator coexisted in her clever face. Sorry, but not exactly. "Huh?Then what is it? "This I took out two pre-prepared boards that were still in the prototype stage. At first glance, they look like ordinary wooden planks. What is this? I''ll have one for me and one for Eliza. Yes. Eliza took the board as she was told. "How much money do you have?And lightly remind yourself, "I don''t know if it''s a good idea to go to ......, but I got the numbers. A number appeared on the board Eliza is holding. It''s the number ten. I made the same mental note and gave the number ten as well. Just remember to give it to me and touch mine, as much as you want. I''ll give you 5. ....... Mine just turned into a five. Mine just turned 15. Have you figured it out yet? "This ...... money instead of money? "Yes. I nodded. ." "If we put a number on the money and exchange it like this, we can eliminate the inconvenience of carrying it around and counting it. "You thought that far ahead!Amazing: ...... Eliza stared at the board. It''s still a prototype, but eventually I''ll make it into something I won''t forget or lose and then I''ll give it to my people. "...... Hey, is this any special material? "No. . It''s just a board. It''s just a spell I developed. "Then to the body "Body? Eliza then reached out and gestured for him to shake her hand. Without thinking, he squeezed her hand back. I see.Cast a spell on a person''s body and you won''t lose it. Now that it''s Alec''s blessing, it''s going to be more and more popular, and it''s going to spread quickly. "Thanks Eliza!It''s a great idea! With Eliza''s idea, it was like the last piece came together, and so on. 180 34. Good people secretly treat creative gods "Huh. ...... That was nice water. At night, after a hot bath, Angel came back to the bedroom in his pajamas. I was already on the bed in my pajamas, and Angier came up to me and climbed on the bed as well. Angel, your hair is half dry. "Oh, really. I''m sorry Mr. Alec, I''ll be right back to dry off. "Okay. Come here, Angel. I beckoned to Angel and called to him. When Angel is in front of me, I put my hand on his shoulder and turn his back to me. I brush my fingers through Angel''s hair. With my magical fingers, I make the temperature a little hotter than human skin, and dry her hair. Ange''s hair is really beautiful. "Thank you. Okay, now you''re dry. Now let''s go to bed. "Yes. I laid down with Angel on the wide bed, pillows by pillows, and turned off the lights in the room. This is how we''ve slept together since we were children. As our bodies have grown, Angier and I have remained the same. We sleep together in the same bed, our shoulders within inches of each other. Again. "Yes. Today was another beautiful day with Alec. Thank God for you. Haha, that God is not so reliable these days. Your sister says that you are a snob, eh, a snob. "Eliza seems to like that expression. The Creator. My good deeds have increased too much?After the angels came in and the d*mnation began to fall, Eliza would describe the Creator God as a "snob". You say "unlike some snob" about something. "Yes, you always say that. To be honest, I''m kinda chickened out that there''s not going to be any d*mnation over there. Sis says it''s okay. "Who? I turned my head to the side and looked at Angel, wondering what was going on. The moonlight shining through the window, illuminating Angel''s beautiful profile, has grown much more beautiful, and for a moment, I''m sure it has. "It''s a complete snob, so I''m not going to touch it. I see. It''s not a big deal, she said. Well, ...... he said that he was an eight-sided beauty who was always trying to curry favor with others, but was trapped into a corner and would do nothing. "What a dry mouth to the creator God She''s probably the only person in the world who could say that. Huh? "What''s up Angel? Come to think of it, the divine punishment itself is gone these days. No. Have you given up? No, I''m not giving up. "Huh? Angier was startled and sat up. He sat upright in bed and looked down at me with a surprised face. What''s going on here? "Yes. I pulled myself up and first turned on the interior light. Then I grabbed a storage bag that I kept with the philosopher''s sword a short distance away and pulled something out of it. Angier tilted his head in wonderment when he saw it. "Wow, is this a ...... homunculus? It''s similar. "Something like that? A more and more curious Angel. "This is the body God used when he tried to break in. ".................. eeeeee! Shouting loudly, Angel. "What do you mean, breaking in, Master Alec? "You know how I can stop God''s punishment completely now, don''t you? "Yes. "Since there was nothing you could do with me after dropping it, I thought it would be my next move. So I planted a few tricks on a few of Avalon''s statues here and there. "It''s a statue of Master Alec, isn''t it? I nodded. "I parsed for the mermaids a technique to react to the Creator''s power. When I sensed the Creator''s power, I made it known to me. Then one day I was caught by this at the statue of a god. You were going to infiltrate the place in disguise. I ran to it and the spirit got out of there fast. "I didn''t know that was possible. ...... I''ve already analyzed the power of the Creator, so it was easy to just sense it. I had no idea. ...... "Huh. "......?Dear Alec, you look happy. Why? I''m glad I didn''t notice it, even Angel. Lately, I think it''s best to take care of these things without my people''s knowledge. More jobs for the people, better lives. Anything more than that will be solved before they even know it''s happening. It''s the best thing to do. "Hawa ...... is amazing ...... That''s why I''ve been having all kinds of behind-the-scenes conversations with the Creator. I see. Good luck, Mr. Alec! Thank you. I thanked Angier for his cheering and turned off the lights again, and this time we both went to sleep. 181 The Good Man Finds Out the Arsonist Autumn, the season of harvest. In Avalon, too, the first seeds we sowed after planting were finally coming up for harvest. Do you also buy them here, Mr. Alec? I was working hard in my study when Angier came to visit and asked me about it. I stopped and responded to Angel''s question. No, I don''t think we need it this year. This year, we''ll be tearing up the fields and sowing seeds, so we shouldn''t have enough to make a surplus of food. I see. "Rather, you should still need help until next spring, no, summer or so. Of course, it''s best not to. Why? If I help them, it means that not all the farmers will be able to earn their own money. Angel, I consider it a prerequisite to fill the bellies of all those who have followed me, Avalon. "Yes, that''s great, Mr. Alec. "And then I want to make sure that everyone gets the next stage of belly-filling, the feeling of accomplishment. I''m happier that way. "I see! Convinced Angel with a smile. Of course there is one more thing to accomplish, Eliza and I saw in the city before, is to criticize me. Ideally, my belly would be so full that he could afford to criticize me. I predict that it will take another year or two for it to spread to the rural areas. For that, I need at least one more move-- "Master! The door to the study was opened and the head maid, Amelia, rushed in. She was breathing on her shoulder, as if she was in a hurry to get here. "What''s up, Amelia? Here. Then I received the letter that Amelia offered me. That''s the official language of the empire, by the way, not the ideograms I made up. Anyone can read them, but I''m the only one who can still write them. It''s not a problem for its intended purpose, so I''m leaving it intact for now. The letter was written in the official language of the empire... "What''s wrong, Alec? You look very grim. "Do you want to read it? I handed the letter to Angier. She took it and read it over, and in an instant, her expression grew tighter. "The farmland was ...... burned down? "...... Between the eyebrows, carved deep vertical wrinkles. . The smoke was still smoldering and the smell of burning was filling the area. The fields, which were just before the harvest, have been burned to the ground, revealing a ghastly sight. I''m at a loss for words. "We were supposed to harvest next week. That''s what happens when you do this: ...... Behind me, the peasants here in the fields are complaining of their grief. In addition to the men, there are also those who are weeping and wailing with abandon. I wonder if we will survive the winter if we don''t: ...... Don''t worry. I turned to them and proclaimed, "We''ll treat this as a natural disaster. "We''ll treat this as a natural disaster, and we''ll have food brought in later for wintering. And we''ll get you next year''s seed rice. ""--! The peasants were all wide-eyed in surprise and immediately cheered. Thank you, Father! "Thank you very much. "Hail, Father of the Nation!Hail Alexander! The peasants came to themselves and thanked and praised me. What''s done is done. Next time you''ll fix up the fields for a proper harvest. "Yes! That''s enough for now. To arrange for food, I flew back to the lord''s house with flying magic. I had a landing spot set up in the yard for when I flew back, and I landed there without missing a beat. And there was Amelia waiting for you. "Welcome home, master. For some reason, Amelia has a very grim face when she greets me. "What''s wrong with you? ...... No way! "Yes. Amelia nodded gravely with a pained look on her face and said, "The fields were burned again. "Another field was burned down in the other part of the world. ...... What does that mean? The wrinkles between the eyebrows became deeper and deeper. In my study, on my desk, I spread out a map. It was a brand new map of Avalon, with cities and villages drawn on it since my arrival and that of the Hundred Thousand People. On it Amelia battened down one by one. And here it is. This is the seventh one in all. "You say you were burned so much: ...... Suddenly, there were multiple incidents of field arson in different parts of Avalon. At first I thought it was an accident, but after seven simultaneous incidents in such a short period of time, there''s no chance of an accident. It''s going to be a man-made crime. Could it be the work of God the Creator? Amelia, who, due to her position as head maid, knows me and the Creator''s quarrel better than most, was the first to mention the possibility. I don''t think so. The power of the Creator God is fully parsed. If he tries anything, he''ll know immediately. Besides. "And? "For some reason, the Creator never tries to touch anyone but me. I have an idea about that, but I''m not sure, so I didn''t say it. If he really was the Creator, he would have come directly to me, not to Hatake. "I see. And this is not the power of God. How do you know? I''ve seen two of them, and judging from the ignition point and the way it''s spreading, after a minimal fire, it''s just letting the fire spread naturally. By the power of God, for example, I can turn a field into a village and burn it over a large area. So it''s a person? Yeah. I feel like a magician in my own right. Me staring at the map. Seven damage points, there doesn''t seem to be any law to it. Just randomly setting fires and going around. I can feel it in the air. What should we do? "It''s okay, I''ve taken care of it. "I mean? "It''s-- I was about to explain to Amelia when it came. I took the wise man''s sword on my back, opened the window, and flew out. With my flying magic, I rushed to the place where I felt the presence. Thirty kilometers east of the lord''s house. I flew with my flying magic to a place where I saw a flaming hand raised. I flew over as soon as I saw it, so the flames hadn''t spread yet and only burned a field in the vast farmland. Go away! Hold out your hand and use your magic. The magic she released quickly formed a rain cloud above the flames, sending down a downpour. The bucket-load of rain quickly extinguished the fire. There! He threw the philosopher''s sword from the sky. The sword flies away and pierces the ground. He swoops after it, stands right next to the sword, and pulls it loose. Then he stares. An empty space - but I see blood dripping from that empty space. There''s someone there. "There''s no way to torch the place anymore. "...... "I''ve got a hint of it, and my statues all over Avalon will sense it and know if I do anything. The anti-create god countermeasure came in handy. I grabbed it from the burned ruins and planted a sensing spell. I was the first to see it, and I rushed here. My proclamations are not big words, this one cannot be used for large-scale arson ever again. Feng ...... The thing sighed in resignation. It''s a pretty young voice. "That''s the Alexander Carlyle I hear about. Then the next moment it revealed itself. A young woman. It''s a beautiful long straight pony, clear skin, pointed ears. You''re an elf ...... or is that super-natural ...... a high elf? 182 36. A good man meets an old enemy Oh, my God. I see you''re Alexander Carlyle with that face. "...... know about me? What are you talking about? She slapped me. It was carefree and non-hostile. The next thing I knew I was slapped. I furrowed my brow at that. An unknown enemy - so I was on some level of guard, but the guard wasn''t so much guarded as it was touched so naturally. "I wouldn''t like it if a very famous person was humble in there! Yeah, I''m sorry. But can you tell me your name? "Right, I don''t remember my name. I''m Wendy, nice to meet you. Then I shook hands with Wendy. This time I shook her hand warily. "I''m sorry if I''m wrong, but were you the one who burned the field? I''m sorry. I''m sorry, I burned a lot. Why? Because that''s where the fruit is. ...... could be explained a little more clearly. You know, you''re going to be born a nobleman or something in your next life. Suddenly the conversation changed. I scowled. "What are you talking about? I''ve done so many good deeds that I''m going to be incredibly famous. Did you know that you can become a god after piling up all these good deeds? "...... yeah I thought it was a bait and switch, but it was common sense, so I nodded. Of course. Good deeds end up in God. Nowadays it''s common sense that even a three-year-old knows. "Yes. "Well, what do you think the end result of all this bad behavior will be? "...... Daphnia? "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, I''m a daphne, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. Wendy burst out laughing. It was very well received, that was a big laugh. I just said what I saw in person before I was born again, and it was surprisingly well-received. "Is it that funny? Yeah, that might be the funniest thing I''ve heard in three hundred years. "You''ve lived a long time. Yeah. Oh, I didn''t answer your question. Yes, I''m a high elf. I''m an elf--what''s it called, a primitive species? "I see. I knew it. But what''s this friendliness? I feel like I''m living it all in a groove. "So what''s ......? "Daphnia Yeah, yeah, and when you asked him what the end of his misdeeds were, he said daphnia. That''s pretty good, isn''t it? "So much? "It''s about a big bad guy who killed hundreds of people, "I don''t think it''s just a degree, But by contrast, don''t you think that''s about as good as being born a nobleman at best? "...... So that''s what it is. Finally, I see what Wendy is trying to say. "So you mean, I don''t know if there''s a ...... beyond the F, but you''re talking about ''FFF''. "I don''t know where you got that rating from, but that''s what it is. "Do you do it yourself ......? "That''s right. Wendy did the classic finger shot pose and winked at me. Yes, I''m doing it myself. Because I''m curious, right?What happens when you do more and more bad things? I have about 2,000 years of life left. I''m estimating that so far I can only manage a dictator who has slaughtered a million people, but I think I can accumulate three to four times this amount in another two thousand years. Then...heh-heh-heh. He covered his mouth with a lightly clenched fist and smiled happily. "It''s going to be so much fun to see what happens. "...... I have to admit, I feel drained. She speaks of her resolutions for the next two thousand years with the ease of talking about tomorrow''s breakfast menu. "Will you do bad things for two thousand years? "Yes, because you want to see the end of the evil, right?And I''m the only one who can do it. "...... What if I told you to stop it? I won''t stop. "--Ha! A moment later, I drew the wise man''s sword on my back and flew directly behind him, holding it at the ready. My pause, from which it dropped nearly three times. It wasn''t a kill, it was something more, a gut feeling that made me back down. "Wow, that was awesome, I just noticed that. What did you do? "Killing spree, of a higher kind?I''m the only one who seems to be able to use it, so it doesn''t even have a name. You''re a great guy. "I''m a high elf, though! She said with a determined or rather smug look on her face. Well, if you noticed. I won''t stop, and if you try to stop me, I won''t be able to stop you. Wendy was carefree to all intents and purposes. I see. Just to be sure, I asked the wise man''s sword what you said. The wise man''s sword contains all the knowledge that exists in the world. He replied that he did not know. I know everything, but I don''t know anything that isn''t already known. I knew that, but it was a clear confirmation. That''s going to get you in trouble with a lot of people. But it''s all right. But it''s all right, I want to know. "Don''t be shy, I don''t feel bad about it. "Hey, I''ll help you. "Cooperation? Yes, cooperation in doing bad things. For example, I regularly spoil all the food I collect, too. "Why are you doing that? A promise to an angel. Other than that, for example, I use constant consumption and auto-healing to increase the amount of magic, as well as-- Once he broke off his words, he cut off his arm with his wise man''s sword and immediately attached it with magic. I guess you could hurt me endlessly like this. I see, it''s one way to do it. I don''t know. "Hmmm, pass. "By the way, why? "I feel like I''d have more bad behavior points if I stepped on those good intentions now. That''s troubling. "I''m in trouble too. This land is getting richer and richer, so it''s easy to do bad things-- Wendy held out her hand, something flew in! Shake the sword of the wise men and get rid of it. Zushin!And then came a shock that echoed through the core of my body. Then he swung it out and flicked something off. It was a pure lump of power. Because of that lump of power, the wise man''s sword bent a little. "Yes, if you play this with all your might, you''ll be stopped if you try to do anything bad in your land. "Yeah, I''ll stop. I don''t want everyone in Avalon to be unhappy. "I''m so sorry. You''re welcome. I locked eyes with Wendy. An ordinary rogue would have stared at me, but it was Wendy, who was neither caring nor offensive. It wasn''t a stare, it was a stare at each other in the middle of a conversation. "All right, I''ll come back later. "I wish I didn''t have to come back. I don''t think so. I''m not sure. Wendy waved her hand and returned the kibisu and stuttered away. It was partly because I was de-toxicated, but also because I don''t feel like I could win if I fought now. So I had to let her go. High Elf Wendy in pursuit of the end of her misdeeds. I had a feeling we were going to be friends for a long time. 183 01. Good man, propose a vow The seasons passed, and I was one more year older. Sixteen years after my reincarnation, I had turned sixteen years old, and although my face was still a bit young, my body had grown almost completely into that of an adult. Youth . I was secretly amazed at the sense of our ancestors who coined the term "youth" and "boy". In the spring of my sixteenth year, I was enjoying flower viewing in the garden with Hossen and Miller, who came to visit. I stared at the falling flowers. Oh, what''s up, brother-in-law, just stand still. It''s time for you to come up with a usurpation scheme, I''m always ready to help. Horsen and Miller, both adults when they met, look exactly the same. They were children when they met, and in a way, they were still the same inside. I''m both relieved and chuckling. I''ll dare not ask what the usurpation was. No, I just think it''s time. ''About time, huh?What''s that? "The forced conversion of the country, "I don''t need to talk about it like that, I''m talking about ...... Angier. With a bitter smile, two friends who are good friends. Like an older brother, but also like a younger brother, they could be considered best friends. I told them both. "I was going to propose to you. "Oh, it''s finally happening. It''s finally time for you to pay your tribute. "I''m sorry to keep you waiting ......, but I thought that was about my age, right from the start. I''ve been waiting for this age when my body has finished growing and my body has grown enough to be able to say that I''m an adult. Hmmm?Then what''s bothering you. They were waiting for you, so you can just go ahead and do it. Over drinks, he gave me some very Horsen-like advice. There''s a lot of things that go into a courtship. What do you mean by "a lot of things"? That''s right, ...... we have a hundred roses and a ring at the end of the dinner party. It''s all kinds of things. "It''s a pain in the ass, why do we have to do this? I said, "It''s not you. In your case, you can just say, ''Be my girl'' or ''Okay, I understand''. Hossen and Miller exchanged open and unreserved words like they were friends for ten years. That''s all right for me. What''s really bothering your brother-in-law? "I don''t want to do what Miller said. I don''t want to do what Miller said. It would be a surprise, and I think it would be too self-indulgent of a person to do that. I''ve seen that kind of thing a lot in my past life. I''ve witnessed a few scenes where you made a surprise proposal, but in reality, the other person didn''t want to be surprised, so you went ahead and made things awkward. Although Angier doesn''t say "I don''t feel like that", I still don''t want to surprise him. "Then why don''t you just say ''be mine'' like me? "Yes, ...... just ask them to marry you honestly. It would have been if I hadn''t been so bizarre, but I think that''s something for keeping Angers waiting for over a decade. It''s ...... boy. "Huh? Miller was looking at me with a very serious face, a serious face that I don''t often see. "You can tell the boy how you feel and what you want to do, "What do you want to do? "Monk''s son, if you put it all together, it would be ''I want to make you happy''," he said. Yeah, that''s true. "Then tell him that. The boy''s heartfelt. Miller said and cleaved his hand carelessly to the side. There was a gust of wind and the trees in the garden creaked. Beyond the trees, the developed city of Avalon peeked out for a moment. Like this one. "......!Well, thank you Miller, I think I know what to do. "Okay. Miller chuckled. Thanks to the mirror, I knew what to do. All that was left was for the wise man''s sword--. . Three days later, a clear and sunny afternoon. Angier was in the garden celebrating flowers when he approached her. Hi, what are you doing? "Dear Alec!I was looking at the flowers. As I recall, that''s the flower that Angel brought over from the house. Yes, well, I brought it with me from my parents'' house. Oh, I see that the Carlisle house was already moved. "Yes. Angel squinted and stared at the flowers. At 16 years old, Angel has grown even more beautiful than I have. She wasn''t flashy, but she was a beautiful girl everyone recognized. Her serenity was more like that of the mother of the country, as I was the father of the country. I called out to her again. "Angers "Yes, what is it, Mr. Alec? I need to talk to Angel about something very important. I have something to show you. "What''s the big deal? Yeah, I guess you could call it my feelings, but I want Angel to see what I want to do. What is it? "...... Smiling back at Angier, I hold out my hand to use magic. I gather the magic in my fingertips and trace it out as if I were cutting out an empty space (). A small window of sorts forms in front of Angier and me, and then it snaps open, following the outline of what I''ve traced with my fingertips. When we opened it, we found a completely different view. It''s ...... grandma is here. There''s an old lady standing behind a window. She''s in a different place, but under the same flurry of snowflakes. The elegant old woman turned around and gave me a happy smile. That ...... looks like this grandmother from somewhere: ...... Angier tilted his head curiously and then looked at me for an answer. I smiled back and told him my answer. This is Angel, "Wow, me? "Strictly speaking, future Angers I traced the void again with my fingertips. Another window opened, and this time a child was moved out. I can see him clearly, he looks familiar. Oh, it''s me!This is ...... when you went to the bird store with Mr. Alec? You remember it well. "Yes!I remember everything about you and Alec! Angel smiled and nodded, smiling. I see. Actually, it''s a spell that allows you to see past and future views across time and space. There are various restrictions, though, that prevent me from seeing things that would change my fate. "Really? ...... "On the contrary, what you see now, what you see in the future is absolutely going to happen. So this Grandma Angel is the Angel of the future. "I look happy ...... future me "Yes. I nodded and took Angier''s hand. I took her hand and stared straight into her eyes. I want to make Angel happy all the way until she becomes a grandmother. "...... oh Noticing something, Angel gasped, and then slumped down, cheeks flushed. Still, she looked at me with a faint upward glance, a mixture of fidgeting and anticipation. I want to make you happy forever. I want you to be my wife. "...... Yes, Mr. Alec. Angier nodded quietly and squeezed my hand back. 184 02. A good man makes a wedding rings "Slow Eliza came into the study and thrust those words at me at first. She puts her hands on her hips and looks down at me with slightly dumbfounded eyes. "What''s going on? "Angier told me. Yoooooooooooooooooo. Eliza was a tremendous pushover, pushing the limits of her lung capacity, and then... Well, you''re ready to get married. "Is it that late? "You''ve been waiting for over a decade? Mmm. ...... When you talk like that, it makes me feel like I''m keeping you waiting like a son of a b*tc*. No, I guess that''s what''s going on. It''s because Angel and I are still young, of course, but it''s also because I''ve always seen Angel only as a father figure. I don''t have any words to respond to the accusation that I''ve kept you waiting for so long. It''s not that I don''t like the fact that you can''t get a good look at it, but I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that ...... is the first time I''ve ever seen Angel so happy, so I''ll give you a break. "You''re that happy? "I had a grin on my face, to the point of personality collapse. "It''s ...... You might want to take a look. And the ceremony?You don''t say you won''t raise it, do you? I''m not going to tell you that. I know you''ve always wanted a wedding dress. I''ll get you a beautiful dress and make a big showing. We''ll do that. "Hmmm, let me take care of that. "Eliza? The emperor''s (my) sister''s?Let me do it. With a face that says the obvious, Eliza. I know how well she and Angel are getting along with each other. They''re like real sisters, or even closer than that, and Elisa loves Angel with all her heart. Thank you. So I decided to leave it to Eliza to be honest. "Hmmm, so that would be ...... What''s bothering you? Rings. It''s something you''re going to wear forever, so make sure it''s the right one. ...... Alec''s proper thing to do is to put some ability or effect on it, right? He smiled back. "That''s what I think. I''m going to put my feelings in it, of course, but I''m also going to put practicality in it. The two are not mutually exclusive. Well, that''s just as well. What do you have in mind? Hmmm, I don''t know what makes a girl happy most. I don''t know what makes girls happy the most. But then again, I can''t ask Angel. Yes. Eliza chuckled. I''m sure he''d be happy to hear anything but that type of answer. Yes, I can imagine it''s very likely. "Whatever you get from Master Alec, Yeah, that''s definitely the answer you''re going to get. "Well, let me give you some advice. Really? It''s for Angel. I''m a woman on the outside, but I''m pretty much a man on the inside. I''ve been in the center of power for so long, I''ve gotten used to it. "...... yeah I''ve always had a bit of a feeling about that, but now is not the right time to touch it, so I let it slide. But I know what a girl feels like in general. "I think Eliza is very much a girl, Let me tell you a story. Tomorrow the world dies, and Alec and Angier are the only two people left alive. But you have a chance to make it up for it if you do something. What would Alec do? "Go to ...... to do something "What about Angier? "Hide in a secure place. "Yes, that''s the man "...... girls? I don''t care if it''s safe or dangerous, as long as we''re together. "...... I see. I honestly don''t know how I feel. But when I look back at some of the human behaviors I''ve seen, I see that Eliza was right. Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. "And by the way, Alec is very much a man, 100% a man. That''s it. If it''s that kind of classification, I''m very aware of it. Was that helpful? "...... yeah I thought for a moment. From Eliza''s advice, I thought of something that would please Angier. "How about this? Take the bag of materials hanging on the wall, put your hand in it and take it out, while granting the magic you heard from the Philosopher''s Sword. ...... two stones? "I''m going to make a ring out of it once I see how it works. "I see. I''ll hold out one to a convinced Eliza. I''ll keep the other one with me. Eliza takes it, places the stone in her hand, and stares at it intently. What happens to it? "Neutral is hard to understand: ...... I tighten my grip on the stone, close my eyes and remember. I remember the look on Angier''s face when I proposed to him and he said yes. The happy smile on his face. I remembered how happy Angier made me feel when he looked so happy. Ah, ...... Eliza blurted out, opened her eyes and looked at her. "This is ...... now Alec? "Yes, my feelings . Simply put, the effect of sharing feelings with each other. There are many configurable feelings to share. "That''s amazing: ...... You can do this too. Eliza stared at the stone intently with an impressed expression. After a few moments, she looked up and turned to me. Is this all you can tell me about feelings? I can share what I''m thinking, but I don''t think that''s a good idea at all times. "I see. I think it''s good. I see. I''ll give you one piece of advice for Angier. "Hmm? "Share not only your joys, but also your sorrows and pains. "I''m going to keep it on Angers'' side, though. "Hey! Eliza smacked me on the head. "Have you forgotten what I said to you earlier? ...... I know, I shouldn''t have just left Angel in a safe place. That''s the way it is. Do it right. Yes. I will. On Eliza''s advice, the prospect of a wedding ring is in sight. 185 03. A good man hugs his wife In the lord''s mansion, in the study. I was alone with Amelia, the head maid, facing me. ''How is she?How do the people react? "About half of them are welcome, "Half? His brow wrinkled. That''s a much lower number than I thought. Why?Why are you not so welcoming to me and Angel''s marriage? I asked Amelia to come out to investigate why. I had the whole Avalon community react to the wedding of Angier and I. I asked her to go out and gather responses. I''m not going to stop just because people are against it, but rather I want to marry Angier with blessings, so I''ll squash any opposition in advance. But there were surprisingly many voices of opposition, and I was slightly confused. ''''Yes, most women of the right age are against it. "Yes, most of the women of the right age are against it: ''I was aiming for the national father,'' ''I''ll switch to aiming for the concubine,'' ''If I were 80 years younger, I''d be ......'' and so on. "...... eh That''s what it means. I''m troubled in a different way. You can''t help it if you disagree with me in that sense. What do you want to do? Hmmm, that''s just the way it is. Angers is my front room, it''s non-negotiable. The master is irresistible. Is that so. Yes, it''s popular among some of the wiser women, especially the nobility, to get them to adopt you. Why? There is a rumor going around that a nobleman''s daughter could be his master''s maid. I would like to get to know my master that much. That''s right. I nodded and thought about the report I''d received from Amelia. I can''t help it. Well, that kind of opposition is like admiring a famous actor or poet. We just have to let nature take its course and wait for it to go away. What''s the other objection? "Almost, no. "Yeah, that would be nice. Thank you, Amelia. I''m sorry. After being complimented, Amelia happily withdrew into my shadow. Not only Amelia, maids tend to quickly retreat into the shadows after their work, especially after being worked on by me. I don''t know the details, but they always seem happy after doing so, so I don''t go into it too much. Congratulations! "Dear Alec, ...... are you okay now? I knocked and it was Angier. She stepped out the door timidly and looked at me. "I''m fine. Can I help you? "Yes!I''d like you to see something for yourself, Mr. Alec. "To me?What''s up? "Let''s see, the garden Okay. I don''t know what you''re going to do, but Angier asked me, and I had no reason to refuse. I walked with Angel and went down the hallway to the garden. Ange brought me to a corner of the sunny garden and I saw Calamity. Calamity, the Sky King, the guardian dragon of the empire. One incident made me master and I have lived in the mansion ever since. He originally lived in the Carlisle mansion, but moved here when Avalon''s mansion was completed. The reason you rarely see her is because she''s only in the garden of the mansion, eating and sleeping with Angier. You look good today, Calamity. I''m glad the Lord is in good health, too. So, Angel. What''s wrong with Calamity? Yes, please watch. Sorry Guardian Dragon, please. It''s a no-brainer. Calamity then used her mouth to tear off a paw. The biting and tearing caused so much blood to spurt out that the whole area was a pool of blood. Calamity! Startled, Angier gingerly stepped out from beside me. I held out my hand to rest it on Calamity''s torn paw. I could feel Angel''s magic growing. The Mupapato method of magic management, a technique of detecting the highest point and continuing to produce a limited amount of power. Ange casts a healing spell with it. My specialty was healing magic. Ever since he learned it from my first magical tutor, Angier has only practiced healing magic. The result--now it''s taking shape. Calamity''s resistance, even her resistance to healing, dampened it, and the healing spell passed through Calamity, and in no time at all her paws were regenerating. In less than a minute, Calamity''s paws were completely restored! "Fufu ...... Mr. Alec! Taking a breath and coming up to me like a puppy, Angel . "Oh, my God, Angel. I didn''t think you could do it. "Thanks to Mr. Alec. "Hmm?Did you know that? Yes. I knew I had to be worthy of being Alek-sama''s bride, so I tried my best to heal my guardian dragon. "...... Oh, you mean that? I was happy to see Angier''s good health. I want to be worthy of my bride. They say that a goal makes a human being grow more easily, but this was surprising. That''s what you mean ......?What does that mean? As a matter of fact, I was just being mean to Angel. "To me? Angel, nodding his head, like he has no idea what he''s talking about. Yeah, I''ve been trying to sneak in a little bit of extra calamity resistance. "...... eeeeee! How much did I raise? Ask Calamity. "Power from the Lord, double the original "Are you double? I''ve been training Angel by sneaking a little bit up. You know, there are ways to plant saplings and jump over them every day to work on your jumping ability a little bit. Like that. "Haha. ...... So when you said it was thanks to me, I thought you''d found out, but you didn''t. I had no idea. ...... "It''s great, Angel. I reached out and patted Angel''s head. I stroked him as usual and gently held him in my arms, reminding him from ....... Thank you, Angel. "Dear Alec, ...... could I be worthy of being Alec''s wife? "Of course, my wife is Angel, you''re a good one. "...... ehehe Angier happily buried his face in my chest and hugged me tightly. But how could I cure Calamity like this? If it''s only about healing magic, Angel might be better than me. You worked so hard for me. I loved her so much that I squeezed her back. In the garden of the villa, we hugged each other so tightly that we could feel each other''s warmth and heartbeat. 186 04. Good men, 2nd time to be popular "I want to make the best wedding dress. Inside the study, he declared to Angel. Is ...... the best? Oh ...... and before that just to be sure. Angel admired the wedding dress. "Yes, there is ...... Angel replied, cheeks stained with embarrassment. I had been with her for more than ten years and had witnessed other people''s weddings several times, and I knew from Angel''s reaction each time that she admired her wedding dress as much as anyone else. I just wanted to make sure. I''ll make you a wedding dress then. I''ll make a ring, but we''ll start with the wedding dress. "But ...... Mr. Alec . What''s the best wedding dress? Yes, the soil is already in place. Dirt? Let out a careless voice and roll your eyes. What do you mean, dirt?What does a wedding dress have to do with dirt? "The prospect of growing mulberry trees in a hurry is also in sight. Silkworm''s rapid growth. So first we need to get the right ingredients for the soil for the plants. "Let''s see, ...... Mr. Alec. "Hmm?What is it? "Could it be that ...... means silkworm spitting its strings to make a silkworm dress, silkworm food mulberry tree, soil ...... for that mulberry tree? "Yes. "From there! A grandly surprised Angel . Yes, there. Oh, don''t worry, we already have water. "Until the water!"? "Craftsmen are after the dirt. We''re dealing with human beings, so we can''t just do it. I''m going to go and ask them to make a dress for Angers in person. Picture a blueprint in your head. It''s the blueprint of a wedding dress combined with the sourcing and creation of its raw material level. They are the blueprints for the best dress in the world at this point in time, combined with information I pulled from the philosopher''s sword. "Well, that''s a little over the top, Master Alec. No need to exaggerate. "But ...... "Angers I turn to face Angel and stare straight into her beautiful eyes. "I didn''t do anything reckless. I just put everything I have together. "Dear Alec: ...... Because of my feelings for Angel, I''d like to have more involvement in my life if I could. No? "...... umm Angel shook his head slowly, smiled happily, and took my hand. "No, it''s not. I''m very happy for you ....... Thank God. "But I was surprised. Really ''from there! I thought. You could say I wanted to surprise Angier. "Then you are a great success, Mr. Alec. Facing Angier, they laughed at each other. Not long ago, the paternal feelings for her had prevailed. It was Calamity''s increased tolerance that led to the act of training her. As my body was growing up, and I was slowly becoming more mature, a kind of affection was gradually developing for Angel. Now I think she is a beautiful woman every time I look at her. I think so every time I look at her. "Master. As I was checking the composition of the soil in the study after sending Angier off, the head maid Amelia, accompanied by her two maids, entered the study. The maids have a large number of envelopes - or rather, they are carrying them. The maids appear with a huge amount of envelopes. "What''s up, Amelia, what''s that? They were sent to us by lords from all over. "The lords?Oh, in response to a wedding invitation? A nobleman is one who places more value on appearances and courtesy than necessary. I wonder if this is a letter of thanks for the wedding invitation you sent to Angel? "Yes, our half is it. Amelia indicated the maid on the left and said so. "And this one? These are the same people who applied for it. Application? Application to the side room. "...... Yeah! What''s a side room again? Or maybe it happened a long time ago. Well, it''s just like that time when Mr. Hossen took charge and refused to do everything. Yes, but why? What do you say? Amelia replies with some dismay. ''Didn''t the master publicly announce that Angelica would be in the main room? Yeah, you did. So?I''m sure you''ll be able to find the right one. It''s a good thing that you''re able to get a good idea of what you''re going to get when you get married to Angelica-sama, because you''ve decided on ...... the main room, so you can go after the side room without hesitation. "Oh, I see. Everyone has been so reserved with Angel. But here we are, so many people who haven''t given up. "This is just the tip of the iceberg, "Huh? "See the garden. I went to the window and looked out. Then I see that the garden is literally piled high with the same stuff that Amelia and her friends have. All of them? Yes, sir. The total number at this point is more than double what Mr. Hosen has processed in the past. That''s a lot! They all want the master to marry their daughters so badly. "I see. Looking at the garden again, another maid approaches the pile and piles up more enclosures that would have arrived. That''s a hell of a rating. ....... 187 05. Suggest good people and family system I looked through the window again at the pile of envelopes and then . "Amelia. What is it? Make a list of those names and bring it to me later. I''ll need a polite way of saying no. "In that case--here Take out a pre-prepared item, Amelia. It''s a bundle of paper with dozens of flats. I took it from Amelia''s hand, looked at the front and was surprised. Were you prepared? "I thought you might need it. That''s Amelia. "Excuse me, sir. I flipped through the bundle of paper I''d been given. On it was written the girl''s name, and perhaps her father''s name and position. As before with the last one that Horsen splashed, there are numerous daughters of noblemen and merchants. Is that all? Yes, that''s all I had to do at the time I came to report to my master. I don''t see any of your names in it. "Huh? amazed Amelia . . her clever beauty is about to collapse. "Those are the names of all my maids, none of them came? "No, no. Those items were excluded from the list. They all agreed that they would serve their master better as maids than their parents would have wanted them to. That''s right. "More importantly, ......, you now know that no one''s name is in this moment: ...... Her eyes widen and she is surprised. Yes, I remember my name because you guys help me out so much. "...... Master, would you give me permission to tell everyone what you just said? "Hmm?I don''t mind. "Thank you, everyone will be happy. Amelia said "excuse me" and walked away from me, either back to the garden or in front of me. But I''m in a bind. That''s great, Master Alec! It was as if we were swapping places. She came running up to me with an innocent look on her face and stood beside me, looking out the window. Yes, that''s a lot. "I know exactly how you feel, If it''s how he feels, but with the way things are going at this point in time, it''s probably ninety-nine percent of the house, the parents'' wishes. Is that so? "What would you do if you were Angier?If your daughter really liked someone, would you just send her a letter like that? "Oh, no ...... Gasps Angel. Well, it''s not just a letter, it''s something else - a physical collision. Yes, and don''t let the case convince you to give up, I I understand! Angel, who has been with me for a long time and has a similar mindset, strongly agrees with me. But I''m confused. I don''t like it that way. Glancing at Angel, she noticed my eyes, looking out and having a complicated expression on her face. "Don''t you have a side room, Master Alec? "What do you think Angel? "I don''t want ...... to be full of it, but if you really like Alec, I think we can get along. So you''re saying it''s okay to make it. I agree with Angel that we can''t have that many. "Yes, that much is a bit annoying, Okay, I''ll tell you what. From now on, the person who will be my entourage must be approved by me and my wife. "Alec and all of Alec''s wives? What does that mean?Angel cocked his head cutely. It''s easy, for example, if the next person agrees with me and Ange, then that person comes in and then the next person agrees with me, Ange, and all three of the previous people. That person enters, and then the next person, me, Ange, and the previous person all agree, and then the next person, all four of us agree, and then all five of us agree on ....... "Wow. ...... Angier''s eyes sparkled as he realized what it meant. It''s nice! Yeah? "Oh, but it might not make much sense, Why? Because if you like Alec, you''re definitely a good person, and we''ll like you, too. Angel, who says with a smile, there is an absolute trust directed at me. And her purity. Not really, people have likes and dislikes, there is a difference between being a good person and liking someone. "Hmmm, I guess so: ...... Well, you''ll see what happens when you do. Yes, it is!Oh, but then you got a recommendation from me?Suggestions?Does that mean it''s OK to do so? Of course, unanimous agreement means that anyone can make a suggestion. I can''t guarantee what will happen after the proposal is made. Oh, I know. It''s useless without wholehearted agreement, so let''s work a little magic on that vote. No, but it won''t mean anything if we agree that you don''t want me to hate you. "Don''t worry, this is the man for whom Alec and I are very much in favor! Oh, you asked because you want to recommend me. "Yes! Angier nodded heavily, then "You''re my sister! And stared at me with an excited face. Sister. Elisabeth Shih-Forsize. Emperor of the Empire, sister-in-law to Ange, and my maid of honor, a complicated woman. ''It''s good to be your sister! Now we''re only two people, and therefore practically my consent, Angier approaches me with an expectant look. Well, I expected it. Or rather, I didn''t dare to say it, but I''m waiting until after Angier in a roundabout way. "Yes, of course. Eliza is an amazing woman who is too good for me, "Yes! "But Angers "Huh?But? "Too soon I put my hand on Angel''s face and kissed her on the cheek. First of all, it''s me and Angel''s wedding. "--Yes! 188 The Good Man Captures the Marriage Goddess "We have to get on with the wedding planning. Angel, we''ll have a parade and a festival. We''ll have to do that kind of thing. "Yes!It''s totally fine!I''m ready to be Alec''s bride, I''m ready for it! It was very encouraging to hear Angier say this. Or perhaps this is more of a case of me being unprepared. Marriages of the royal family and high-ranking noblemen, and even the regular chambers, are often quite big and sometimes national events. I remember when the former emperor welcomed the empress, the capital turned into a festival for more than a month. Father of the Nation, Vice-Emperor. I have those titles, and that''s the kind of wedding I''ll have. Angel, the daughter of a nobleman, who was married for a long time, was well prepared for it. I''m more hesitant because I was a commoner in my past life. All right, I''ll take care of the preparations then. "Mr. Alec, can I ask you to do one thing for me? Yeah, whatever. Say anything you want. It''s a wedding, but I wish I could do it in front of God. ...... Before God. Marriage is a sacred and solemn thing, and we usually make our vows "in front of God" as a metaphor. It really does mean "before God," doesn''t it? "Yes ...... sorry to be selfish No, I''m not selfish at all. Well, would you ask Master Astaroth? "...... hmmm "No? Angel wondering with some disappointment. Oh, it''s not that. It''s just that I''m not so sure about Astaroth. Sword of the Wise, is there a god of marriage? Touching the wise man''s sword, which he always carried on his back, he asked it. The answer came back quickly. "You look like a goddess named Eunor. You look like a goddess named Eunoh. "Mr. Juno? Yeah, you''re like a goddess of marriage and childbirth. Let''s have Juno be there anyway. "Really? "Yes. I nodded. Let me handle this one. * In the study after parting with Angier. When I was alone, I summoned the goddess Astaroth. "You wanted to see me, Lord? I''m sorry, I just have a question for you. Whatever. "Does Astaroth know about Juno? "Is it the Juno that governs marriage and childbirth? "Yes, that Juno I''m relieved to have passed the first gate, because there is no information on the whereabouts of Juno in the wise man''s sword. Because there is no information in the wise man''s sword about where to find Yunoh. Information is information, not knowledge. Even a wise man''s sword, which has all kinds of knowledge, can''t give you information on "whereabouts" that changes every time. That''s why I said "Leave it to me" to Angier and called Astaroth. "Do you know where this Juno is? I''m sorry . Not in the heavenly realm, that''s all. "No?Could it be the same as Astaroth? I wondered if he had somehow fallen into heaven and become a demon, but Astaroth quietly shook his head and denied it. No, he simply doesn''t get along with the Creator and isn''t in the heavenly realm. I think he is somewhere in the world watching over his good friends and giving them a blessing. "Oh, I see, that''s going to get you in trouble with the Creator. If what Astaroth says is true, then Juno is a goddess who goes around giving blessings to people, even if she is a god. That would put her at odds with the god of creation. But I see, you don''t know where Astaroth is. Sorry. "No, don''t worry about it. Now what to do. If Astaroth doesn''t know either, it''s not like he has a clue for now. Maybe we should talk to Azazel or Marcusias? Okay, then call-- Concon. "Master. "Amelia?Come in. "Excuse me. The entrance to the room from a knock, and a shudder and an IBI. Amelia, the head maid, was quite sophisticated in her movements. What''s going on? I just received a report that a body without any trauma was found around the master''s statue. "Also a creator god? Since the existence of the homunculus is unknown to the general public, the homunculus'' body left behind after the god of creation tried to break in and prevented it is reported as an "un traumatized corpse". What do you want to do? Bring it in carefully and I''ll handle it. "Yes, sir. "--Ha!Wait. I stop Amelia from walking away. Once she flails around, she turns in a fluid motion and turns around to face me. I thrust out my hand to stop Amelia and the Astaroths still there, holding my forehead with my other hand and thinking. In that split second, something just came to me. What is it? "...... Astaroth "Yes. "Is there anything or place associated with Juno? "We have a peacock ring. "Peacock Ring? The peacock has been worn as a wedding ring by the emperor for generations. The peacock is the sacred bird of Juno. I see, thank you. Thank you, Amelia. I thanked them both and flew to the imperial capital by magic. When I came to the palace, I asked a servant who was passing close by where Eliza was. "She is bathing, Your Majesty. Thank you. Bathing means that the bathing is in the Eliza''s big bathroom. I''ve never been in it, but I know where it is. I''m going to head there in a straight line. When I come to the front of the bath, the servants there see me and kneel in unison. "Show Your Majesty what you want to see. Please wait. One of the female servants went in and came right out. "Come in," she said. Thank you. Although not without some confusion, I went in if Elisa said so. A large bath filled with steam, thinly clad female servants helping with the bathing process. And a naked Eliza sitting on the edge of the huge bathtub, which can be a bit of exercise just by circling it. Mmm. "What''s the rush, what''s the rush, so rare to see Alec come to visit? It would be rude to look away from Eliza''s beautiful naked body, so I just stared at her face, but not so much that I didn''t stare at it, and replied, "I would like to borrow your peacock ring, Your Majesty. "I would like to borrow the peacock ring from you. "Don''t be so formal in this place. I still don''t have my peacock ring. ...... Yes, that''s why I wanted to show you something that belonged to the Emperor. I want to see it at least once. Eliza wants to, so I returned to my usual tone of voice and graciously agreed to come. You wish it was a peacock ring. Yes, but why? "For Angers, to meet the goddess of marriage, Juno. Okay. Eliza got up and walked across the huge bathtub to me. She slipped past me naked. The servants held out their jackets to me. I stepped out of the main bath wearing only a thin silk jacket. "Bring the rings of the emperor and empress from the treasury. "Yes! Some of the servants started running at the same time. Eliza will let the remaining servants change in the meantime. After waiting for a while, almost at the same time as they were dressed, the servants who went to get the rings came back. The first two are holding two small jewelry boxes. Thank you. Eliza took it and came to me, working the servant with the tone of an emperor. Eliza, in the midst of a bathing spree, came right in front of me, a little throbbing. "Yes, "Thanks, but I''m fine. I touched the jewelry box. Thank goodness I found ....... You''re all right. "What? "Have you heard the story of how we got the creator God? Yes, Angel has told me. This is where I got the vibrations of the goddess Juno. We can follow it now. "Yes, then wait a minute. "Huh? "Sounds interesting, I''ll follow you. Maybe there''s something you can do for Angel. Thank you." ...... Stupid, for Angel. I''ll be ready in a minute. Eliza said and left with her servants. I remained here and let the vibes of Juno hit me more firmly in the head. 189 The Good Man Comes to the Marriage Goddess Eliza and I came to one of my statues in the city. In front of the statue, there were still crowds of people, so we couldn''t get close to it, but watched it from a distance. Is this where you got stuck? "Yes. I nod. The statue is a measure against the creator god, and contains features that expand and amplify my senses. I can capture any being that passes by the statue if I want to. I looked for signs of Juno on the ring Eliza lent me and found it here. But sometimes that snobbery comes in handy. "Eliza really doesn''t like the Creator, does she? I chuckled a little. This is a little funny, too. It''s okay if you don''t claim to be a creator god. I just hate the little vessel in which you do it. After rolling up all at once, Eliza''s tone changed. So, where do we go from here? I''ll go through it. The sign that''s stuck here is still fresh, so I''ll follow it to find it. It''s like having a dog look for something. Haha, maybe they''re similar. While chatting with Eliza, I turned my attention to the capture of Juno. You''re at ...... You found it easy. "Maybe God is indifferent to his own footprints. Most people can''t feel it. That''s a good point. I walked out with a convinced Eliza and my god statue at my back. I followed the scent of Juno to a vacant lot on the outskirts of town. In the clearing is a pair of children, both about ten years old. They are young children, a boy and a girl, both about ten years old. Fool!Dumb!Hurry or I''ll leave you. "Wait a minute, Meena! What I encountered was a scene that clearly showed the power relationship between the two at a glance. The girl is quite domineering, letting the boy carry her luggage. Is that it? Yes, I feel the presence of those kids. "You? No, he''s just a guy who''s involved, not him. I see. What do you want me to do? "Wow, what a surprise. He spoke to me out of the blue from right beside me. When I turn my head to the side, I see a s*xy woman lying in the air on a couch or something. Are you Mr. Juno? "You''re the SSS guy they''re talking about now, aren''t you? "Rumor? "You''re a human and you''re having a good time with him.There''s a lot of talk among us. "That guy ...... a creation god thing? ...... sort of. I think there was a pause that bothered me a bit. Hey Alec, who are you talking to?Are you there by any chance? Eliza, who came with me, grabbed my sleeve and asked me, "Yes, I''m here. "Yes, I''m here. Let me show you what I''m talking about. I reached out and gently touched Eliza, covering both her eyes. Using the power of the goddess, I opened the eyes. When I let go of my hand. There it really was. Eliza was not surprised to see Eunor floating in the water, and she caught him with both eyes. "Yes, nice to meet you, Emperor. "Just in case? Instead of answering Elisa''s question, Juno slowly raised her hand and pointed at the children. "What do you think of those kids? Well, does that sound interesting when you become an adolescent?It''s a good thing that she fell in love with you, but she can''t be honest about her feelings because she''s been doing whatever she wants. I guess. Bleep. And what''s even funnier - you know, that boy. "Yeah, my soul is shining. The act of looking at the brilliance of the soul, the rank of the soul, has become an old habit since I became a goddess. A girl''s soul is beautiful in its own way, but a boy''s soul is quite brilliant. "A, for sure. Does that mean you have a lot of talent or is this a good fate for you? Yes, when she turns 16, she will be irresistible regardless of her own will. A boy who became a butterfly after breaking the chrysalis and a girl who could not be honest with her feelings That''s dramatic. "...... bad taste Eliza murmurs. "Don''t get me wrong. I''m not like that one. I just want to see the twists and turns of two people who are destined to be together. "Getting tied up?Those two guys Of course. I don''t enjoy watching you in a relationship that doesn''t have a happy ending. ...... I''ve been watching that kind of thing for a long time, and people started calling me the goddess of marriage. "Correct Smiling at you, Juno. I''ve been sneaking a peek at you for a long time, Emperor. You have a rather difficult love life too. Okay, so it''s just a matter of time. Eliza was convinced . ...... difficult to love, Eliza was convinced. "Surprising truth. No one is going to believe you if you tell them. "So, what does the rumored Mr. SSS need me for? I''ve come to ask you to be at my wedding. "With whom? "With whom? "You have a ton of partners. "I don''t think there are a lot of them. ...... Some of them haven''t even met yet. Some of them haven''t even been born yet. And the unborn baby! It was indeed a surprise. "What''s so surprising?Let''s see, ...... one of them will be born in four years, and you and SSS will be united in thirty years. Fifty and thirty years old, that''s too normal. Hey. Eliza''s words are accompanied by Juno. The man is fifty years old and the woman is thirty. And a nobleman. Yes, I was surprised, but it''s pretty normal. I''m rather curious what it is like for a woman to marry a nobleman at thirty. In general. "You''ll find out in thirty-four years. Yes. There''s no hurry to find out if we''ll find out sooner or later. Right now it''s more about Angers. I turned to Juno again, straightening up. "I''m going to marry Angel. I want you to be there for the wedding. Please! He bowed deeply. "Err, ...... Juno sounded bored. "Well, no? "Because it''s boring. "Boring? SSS you and Angelica Silva. There are no waves in the future, only happiness. "Congratulations Alec, it''s a goddess seal of approval. Congratulations to Eliza. No, it''s nice to have that. Please!I''ll do anything! I bowed again. For Angers'' sake, I had to seduce Juno here. Do you want to do ...... anything? "Yes! Look up and stare straight at Juno. They stare at each other for a moment. It''s almost as if he was staring at me, as if he was searching me, and then he said. I''ll be along in a little while, but I''m going to bring a very difficult person to your side, and I''m going to put her in your side room-- "I get it!Please! Juno responded immediately before she could finish. It could be a pretty troublesome partner, if she says so. Still, it''s for Angier''s sake. Thank you! I bobbed my head again. Okay, I''ll do it with your enthusiasm. 190 The Good Man Wearing the Goddess "Really?! "Yeah, I''ll do it. SSS you''re pretty funny for a change. Are you sure you really, really want to do this? "Alec? Eliza is standing next to me, looking at me curiously. I pretend not to notice it and continue to stare at Juno. "You don''t have to say anything. "Thank you!I''ll have to tell Angel immediately! "I''m going with you. I want to see her now. "You know about Angier? "I''m not like you, SSS, that''s the fun of it, "Different from me? What does that mean? I''m not sure if you care about Angier, Eliza asked bitingly to Juno. She was about a "B" in my assessment of her previous life alone. She''s been around, she hasn''t done anything nice, but she''s also never done anything bad in her life. "That''s not nearly enough to be born to ...... Alec''s wife. With a hand on her chin, Eliza murmurs seriously, "Yes, SSS, you need S. to be your wife, at least A. and she''s B. to be your wife. ''Well, as fate would have it, SSS, you need an S to be your wife, at least an A. And she''s a B. Why do you think that is?'' ...... because life before that was expensive. Think for a moment and answer Eliza. I see. Master Juno, you just said ''only''. Good point, only half the reason. Well, it''s not something you can guess, so I''ll tell you, she hasn''t committed a single crime in the past nine lifetimes. "Never? "Yes, I''ve never . I got a B grade nine times. A soul like that is given a special exception, an S-equivalent life. It''s one of those things. "It sounds like a role in a card game. Does that mean there are other ''roles''? I have. It''s not something you can aim for, but it''s there. Yeah, you''re right. When you''re born again, you don''t remember. You never know what happened in the previous life. When I said that, Juno looked at me with a grin. This is ...... you know that I was accidentally reincarnated with my memory. Well, it''s a pretty high god from what I''ve heard, so that''s something. Master Juno. Eliza looks at Juno with a straight face. ''Maybe you were going to take it on without Alec asking? Correct. But I wanted to see a different side of you, SSS. It was a waste of time. It''s a bit awful, I tried to sulk a little. "Ha-ha, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I''ll do what you asked me to do to make up for it. Well, I''m going to go inform Angier now, will you come with me? "Okay, let''s go. * Eliza and Juno, together with the two of them, returned to the mansion. Entering the mansion, Agnes the maid was just about to pass in front of them. "Agnes "Ah!Welcome home, master. Agnes holding a large cloth-like object. So I didn''t see her, and she noticed me and bowed her head in a hurry. "Oh, Eliza ......, welcome too. I looked at Eliza and realized that she''s not in maid mode today - that means she''s a guest, not a colleague, and I bowed my head in a hurry to you as well. She reacted only to us. Juno, who had followed us, disappeared again, so that no one (not even Eliza) could see her except me. What are you doing in such a hurry? In fact, we are all in the process of choosing Angel''s costume now. "A costume? "It''s a wedding outfit, or rather a dress. Isn''t it necessary to change your wedding dress? "Come to think of it, We are narrowing it down to a few because Angelenos say they don''t need so many redo''s. It''s not going to be enough, but we''re going to choose a few. So, we are narrowing down the number of people who will be able to convey the charm of Angel-sama to everyone. I see. How many outfits are we talking about? "Yes, we will narrow it down to a hundred eventually. "Hundred! I was so surprised that my voice trailed off a bit. Isn''t that a little much? "Huh?But the masters'' weddings are about a week long, "No, not so much-- Well, that''s about right. Eliza came back together and agreed with Agnes. We did that in the Imperial City for a whole month during the Emperor''s reign. Agnes, what was your home like? When your father got married, I heard it was a celebration for about three days. Three days for an ordinary nobleman, a month for an emperor. Alec took the time and took a week, which is appropriate. When you put it that way, I can''t help but feel that way about ....... I wonder if this is the natural feeling of someone who was born into the aristocracy, I have inherited the memory of a previous life. I didn''t know what that felt like. Then take me to Angier. "Yes! Agnes led the way and walked out. Follow her to Angers'' room. Master Alec!Sister! Angel''s face lit up when she saw us enter the room. He seemed to be happy to see us, but he was in the middle of being dressed by his maid, so he couldn''t move. Instead, Eliza and I went to Angel''s side. "You look beautiful, Angel. "Are you sure, Mr. Alec! "Yeah. Do you like that dress? "Yes. But I have a lot of things to choose from, and I don''t know what to do. When it happens, Eliza advises Angel with a smile. You just have to figure out which one you want to wear to make Alec happy. "Yes!I''m choosing all of them! Angel is still Angel, which is not too healthy. "Don''t talk to Angel about that. Angel, you can choose what you want to wear, not me. "But ...... "I know that Angel has feelings for me, but this is a wedding. But, you see, this is a wedding. The star of the wedding is the bride. It should be no different for us. Is that so? Yeah. So, choose the one you want to wear the most, Angier. "...... Yes!I understand! Angel is a straightforward girl, if you say this, she will choose you accordingly. Eliza is standing next to me with a look of relief on her face, but I let it pass. "Speaking of which, master, is there something you need to do for Angel? Agnes, who has been leading us, said. It was. "To me? Yeah. I found Juno, and I got the okay to go. "Really?! Angers were surprised and delighted. The maids by her side were groaning with delight. "Is that what Angela said about the goddess of marriage? "Master is amazing. ...... "Congratulations to Mr. Angier. And they went on and on. Apparently, Angier was having that conversation with them. "So, I thought I''d give you a quick overview of the day. "Yes. You know how we face each other when we make our last vows? I say so and turn to face Angier. It''s like kissing a vow. Then I gently touch Angel''s shoulder. As declared, touch Angier''s shoulder. Then. "Eeeeee! "Where did that woman come from? "The divine ...... is not going to happen. The maids are even more agitated than before. Now they can see Juno in their eyes. Everyone is surprised and enthralled to see a goddess that hadn''t been there before. "Master Alec, is it you? Yes, the goddess of marriage, Juno . Basically, I''ll always be there, but only when I touch her like this, I''ll make her look like a normal human being too. From the side, it will look like you came down to be our b*tc*. "...... wow!Thank you Alec! Angel was delighted by my direction and hugged me. I glanced at Juno. He gave me a look that said, "You did it. Just to return the favor. Juno was only going to sit at the front, but now that he''s here, I''m going to show him to you. I wanted to make it look like I was there for Angers. 191 09. A good man, blessed with a wise wife Fatherland Avalon, Vice-Imperial Capital of Graston . In the living room of the lord''s mansion, Angier and Eliza were enjoying a late afternoon tea time. The golden sunshine symbolizing the age of peace shone through the wall of windows and surrounded the beautiful woman and the beautiful girl. Soon, their wedding day will come. Yes, I''m very excited every day. The thought of finally getting married to my esteemed friend Alec keeps me awake every day and night at ....... "Respect? "Yes!I admire him, I think he''s the most wonderful man in the world. "Hot, hot, hot. If you go that fast, you won''t be able to use all the cards we have on hand. You''re a big sister. As they relax and chat, they seem to be even closer than their own sisters. The sister-in-law of the emperor Elisabeth I is by nature almost the same position as a nobleman with a title, but for these two, they are really more like sisters than squires. But I''m really looking forward to it. I''m also excited to see what you guys are like. "Who are you guys? "Yes!You are all going to be Alec''s wives. "You''re already thinking about that? The idea that it''s crazy to think never comes from Eliza. Although she is friendly with Alec and Angel, and also with the maids, she is the emperor - a noble birthright. It''s normal for the eldest child of a noble family to have a number of concubines and "wives" unless he or she is a bit of a freak. It''s not a matter of good or bad, it''s just that that''s the world of the nobility. Yes!I''m sure all the people who are going to be Alec''s brides are wonderful people!I want to get along with everyone. "You look like an Atsugi princess. Who are you? A historical figure. A uniquely wise wife who supported her warlord husband and ruled the house well. All the records show that wives never quarrelled with each other. "It''s good to be friends! Maybe that''s what Princess Angelica will be written about in the annals. A rare and wise wife who kept her wives together. "Oh, really? Because you want to get along with everyone. "Yes. There will be some children who will be his sidekicks, and some who will come from the common people. "Let''s see ...... yes Both Eliza and Angel have known Alec for a long time, and we know from their eyes that there are several girls who look like them (). And they also know that common people are mostly monogamous, although they won''t be. If you get along with those girls, it''ll be written all over the place. To begin with, you can''t put 100% of Alec''s awesomeness in the historical record. "Uh, ......? What''s the deal with Angier?He tilted his head to look at Eliza. "I mean, if you reduce it to the historical record, Alec is only going to be the most outstanding person there. Too much of a lie is a lie, history is a lie. I see. Eliza smiled. She thinks it''s an unearned virtue of Angel to be able to understand and accept that. That''s why I ordered Alec to come in here to Avalon. Coming here, however modestly it may be written, will leave you with a record of rebuilding a long-deserted Avalon. "I see! "I digress. Well, in the shadow of such a ''plain and simple genius,'' there was a wise wife. Posterity will readily accept the story and Angel''s name will live on forever. "It is embarrassing, ...... Angel put his hand on his vermillion cheek and was literally embarrassed. When the conversation died down, Angier opened up a different conversation. "The ...... sister? Eliza is intelligent. As a result of her innate nature and the "daily training" that came with her reign as emperor, she is intelligent and has an excellent ability to read between the lines of words. She understands precisely what Angier said, even when he was a little apologetic and slurred his words. It''s difficult. It''s not my intention to make him happy. As an emperor, you can''t help it," sighed Eliza. If she had met Alec a decade later, she would not have felt any resistance if the "emperor" was completely ingrained in her. But she had met Alec when she was a girl, and through repeated snuggling, she had preserved the heart and feelings of a woman, not an emperor. That feeling refuses to take the form of being happy for Alec as emperor. You''ve always been a maid. Maids are okay. Obviously strange behavior can be excused as an investigation or something like that. That''s what I''m doing. "Oh, yes, "It''s not going to be his - to be his wife. Technically, you can''t be, but you can''t give birth to a child. There''s no excuse for going that far. There was a faint bitterness in Eliza''s voice. On the other hand, there was a slight bitterness in Eliza''s voice. Sis, they say there are three people in the world that look like each other. Angier kept smiling. "What do you mean? "His Majesty likes Alec very much, "...... Yeah. "I found myself two girls one day. There it is!So His Majesty took the child as his sister-in-law and gave her to Master Alec. There is a storyline that says that - the part of Angel swallowed with a smile. Eliza was stunned to hear that. It''s because I understood what you are trying to say. I see. There will be a big ceremony to present me and my child at the same time in public. Then, after that, we''ll go on our way. "Yes! ...... How can you do that for me?The fact that it came out so quickly means that I''ve been thinking about it for a long time. Because being a bride to Master Alec is the happiest thing in the world. Ange, who answers immediately, has no hesitation at all. So, you too, sister. "...... sycophants "Well, it''s terrible, sis. "Alec has moved on. "Err ...... ehehe Angel is embarrassed and looks very happy. Seeing this, Eliza also laughed. There''s no trace of the old sorrow. I''ll take care of that, but don''t tell Alec. "Yes! Unbeknownst to Alec, the road to happiness was being made. 192 10. Favored by the good and the people In the early afternoon of the next day, wagons came one by one to the garden of the mansion, bringing in goods one after another. The maids accepted them and Mari wrote them down, making a list. "Dear Alec, is this ......? Angel asked with a surprised look on her face when she returned from outside. I could feel Calamity coming back at the back of the garden, so they must have gone somewhere to practice their healing magic again. Welcome back Angel. It''s our wedding gift. "A wedding gift, is it? Yes, I sent out the invitation for the ceremony the other day, so you received it and sent me a congratulations. You''ve got a lot of ...... Angel''s eyes were black and white as he looked at the piles of gifts that were being brought in one after another. Alec, to whom did you send the invitation? All the noblemen of the Empire . . and all the maids'' parents'' houses. "I see. I took the invitation to Hossen and Miller''s by myself. "For your sister? I didn''t send it. Eliza is Angel''s sister and the Emperor. She''s your family, and it''s a form of ''performance''. That''s right. Yes. Let''s go say hello to Angel''s father when we''re done. I''ll ask for your daughter. "Huh?But Alec, your father is a baronet, right? Surprised Angers. My marriage to Angier is also the union of a vice-imperial and a quasi-baronet. Ostensibly, my going out creates a lot of problems. Yes, so let''s go secretly. Let me say ''please give me your daughter'' properly. "...... yes! Angel nodded happily. We stared at each other, me and Angel, and it got a little nice. "My lord, Then the head maid Amelia came in. What''s up, Amelia? "Sorry, too many gifts, no room for more. "Oh, Look behind Amelia. The gifts piled up like a mountain. The maids are sorting through them, moving them to the mansions and storage rooms. Won''t they go in? Yes. There are more of them than expected, and they are no longer in the compound. "Okay--Calamity. I called out with my magic, and a presence moved from deep within the garden. A calamity slithered out from behind me, not usually seen in public. There was a commotion. There was a stir among the noblemen''s messengers, bringing gifts. Hey, what''s that? "The guardian dragon of the empire: ...... "You''re really here. "Calamity "What, Lord, The buzz grew again with Calamity''s "Lord" comment. "Work with Amelia to bring the items we received and listed to Carlisle''s mansion. "Yes, sir. The loudest buzz of the day - something akin to a cheer - came from the crowd. Maybe it''s because I saw him use calamity on his chin. "Mari. "Yes. I called up Mari, who is helping me make a list. How long have you been back? "Uh, ...... Divide it by the number of people . Since it''s a ceremony where the deputy emperor welcomes his rightful wife, it''s safe to assume that the celebration will return 100%. "I see!That would be ...... er... ...... um... that ...... Snarling, Mari is good at letters but not at math. "Well, about 30%, is ......? "Yes. I don''t want to get into the nitty-gritty numbers. The math is hazy, but one thing is clear. There''s more to come. What can we do, Alec? Yes, ...... "Gee, Master. As I was fretting, Agnes came rushing in, "What''s wrong? What''s up, Agnes? It comes from a place called Psyche Village. "Psyche Village? Agnes glances behind her, and I follow her gaze. Then, unlike the luxurious wagons and luggage of the noblemen, there are familiar villagers around them, with simple ox carts loaded with piles of food. Psyche Village. This is the village where I first started buying food. They didn''t send me an invitation, but they heard about it and sent me a gift to congratulate me. They say it was the sentiment of the whole village. "Oh, well, I suppose I should thank you for that--hmm? What is the matter with you, master? The bullock cart is coming again. It''s not the Psyche Village, is it? "Huh?Really. I''m going to ask him. Agnes hurriedly ran to talk to the newly arrived villagers and ran back again. I understand, Linnetra, master. When you think of Linethras, you think of Lotus. "Oh, I''ll be back!I''m off. Agnes found them and ran to the front of the mansion to find another group of villages that had arrived at the front of the house. This time they didn''t come back. After listening to the conversation, she was about to come back, but another group of people from what looked like a different village came by and went to talk to her. Not one or two, but so many that Agnes couldn''t come back for a while. They seem to be from a village in Alexander''s territory. Unlike the nobles, the expense of traveling here is considerable for a peasant, so we didn''t invite them, but we heard what they had to say and sent our congratulations. That''s great, Master Alec. Everyone is so grateful to you, Master Alec. Thank you. After Avalon, let''s have a ceremony in Carlisle''s territory once. To make it easier for everyone to come. "Yes! Angel agreed to my proposal with a smile. As I watched the villagers arrive one by one, I continued to formulate in my mind what the ceremony would be like in Carlisle territory. 193 11. A good man, take the blame for the crime It''s late afternoon in the living room, alone with Angel, enjoying a cup of freshly brewed tea. The wedding ceremony with Avalon is coming up, but we''ve done what we had to do, so we have some time to spare. Do you have any unfinished business? "Huh?What is? I just remembered a memory from a previous life. It depends on the person who gets married, but many people get busy with unfinished business. They have a lot of things they want to do at the end of their life as a single person. So I thought, what about Angel? "Hmmm. Angel put a finger to his cheek and pondered, "Maybe it''s not . Maybe not ....... Is that so? Yes. You see, ...... I''d rather marry Mr. Alec soon and then we can do things together. "And then what does ...... mean after you''re married? For a moment, my heart skipped a beat. Yes, like a honeymoon, for example. ...... I see. You haven''t gone out alone with Angel much since you started working. Do you want to go to Zeahorse again? Zeahorse is a spa town that Angel and I visited some years ago. As a result of solving a small case, the hot springs in Zealhose have a decent beauty benefit. ''Yes!Let''s go. I want to do many other things with Alec. Yes. I''m wondering how your relationship with Angier will change after you clearly become a couple and what you will do together. I, too, am beginning to look forward to that. "Master. After knocking, the head maid, Amelia, came into the living room. "What''s up, Amelia? The imperial envoy is here to see you. "Imperial envoy? "Your sister? The one who comes with the emperor''s order, the imperial envoy. It was a rare presence for us. Why an imperial envoy?Is something wrong with your sister? I don''t know. Anyway, send me in. "I''ll get right to it. "Angel, help me get dressed. "Yes! Nodding, we left the living room and headed for the dressing room. When the imperial envoy is here, we should be properly dressed. With Angier''s help, I changed into the formal attire in accordance with the vice-imperial''s formalities. I went straight to the parlor to meet the imperial envoy who had passed through earlier. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a good deal more information on this. I wonder if the eunuch is ....... "Juyi "Ha! After a high-pitched voice, I bowed on one knee to the imperial envoy - the Emperor''s distinguished eunuch. On the occasion of the marriage of my father, the Vice-Emperor Sir Alexander Carlyle, and Princess Angelica Silva, I hereby grant pardon to all criminals in the Empire. That is all. "...... grateful happiness Trying to guess Eliza''s true intentions caused me to delay my reply by a breath. "Congratulations, Father, this is an unmistakable honor. When I got up, the imperial envoy''s tone changed from his earlier, stiff tone to one of considerable contempt, "Your Majesty didn''t say anything else? "Didn''t Your Majesty say anything else? Well, I don''t know. But I''ve been left with one thing that Father Kuoi is probably curious about. What do you mean? "Everything, including the rebels, seems to be the case. "That''s really everyone at ......, isn''t it? Rebellion is, of course, the most serious crime in imperial law. Those caught in the act of treason are usually guilty of the death of their clan. To such an extent, and with such an eye for an example. If there is a pregnant woman in the family, they will even put her baby to death after she gives birth. If you''re going to go that far, it really is "everything. I asked the imperial envoy for more information, but I could not get any more information. I understand. May I ask your majesty to respond? What is it? "In my name, please do it in my name. The expression on Teshima''s face grew stronger for a moment. It''s a face that says "what are you going to say? Are you sure you want to tell ...... that? "Yes. "...... Got it. From the congratulatory face of earlier, the chancellor walked away with a bitter expression on his face. A royal pardon is, in a cynical view (and indeed there are many nobles and ministers who take that view), a means of buying the emperor''s mind. Human law is not a panacea, for example, if a man whose parents were slaughtered by a murderer seeks revenge, he must be judged for his revenge. There are many cases in which the law has no choice but to judge, even if you want to take justice out of consideration. It''s a special pardon to do this on a case-by-case basis, and it''s a pardon to do it willy-nilly. I''m asking for a pardon to buy the emperor''s heart. No wonder the emperor walked away with a bitter look on his face. Sir Alec, why? "What? That''s not like Alec. It''s not so much what Alec does to get people to thank him. No, I would do anything to make Angel happy. "That''s not what it''s about, Angier looked troubled, sulky, and somewhere in between. I chuckled. Well, to tell you the truth Angier, I''ve been thinking about forgiveness too, Is that so? Yes, I''ll make a suggestion to Eliza if I need it. If not, I can pardon a lot of people in Avalon on my own authority. "Yes. Father of the Nation, Vice-Emperor, the real ruler of Avalon. I have the authority to do as I please with the pardon. So I''ve heard it from the angels. "Dear Angel ......? Yeah. So, it seems that a pardon is a negative thing in the assessment after death. "Really? Angel is astonished. Yes, because it''s all about releasing criminals, in essence. It''s really not that different from the escape route. Oh, ...... if that''s your point of view, you might as well ....... Then you have to stop your sister. It''s useless. I laughed even harder. "Eliza didn''t make the imperial envoy come by herself. That was a declaration of ''I''ve decided to do it''. If I was going to consult with you, you would have come here in person to consult with me in secret. That''s right: ...... I think this edict is already running all over the Empire. It says to release the guilty on the occasion of Sir Alexander''s wedding. "Isn''t ...... So I said, do it in my name. But then Alec will have to bear the guilt. "Have you forgotten, Angier? "Huh? What?Angel, who prints a blank stare like, "I have to do an angel a favor and sin regularly. "I have to sin regularly for the angels'' sake. "Ah, ...... This time it''s more of a ferryboat. I see. ...... You were thinking that much in the last second, Alec. I smiled at Angier and called Mari. I asked her to write a letter and send it to Elisa with instructions. I''m sure Elisa will have the same questions as Angel, so I wrote a letter to her to tell her the story, including the story of the angel, without hiding it. 194 12. Perfect compatibility with good and bad people Well, take care of the invitation. We''ll take care of it. Amelia bowed deeply and walked out of the study. I felt a sense of fulfillment as I finished the preparations for the wedding. As I was thinking about the next step, she appeared at the door from an empty space. Hey, hi! "Wendy. How long have you been there? I just got here. Don''t worry, if I stay here long enough, I''ll have done three or four bad things. High standards. Smiling slightly, he gestured to a sofa diagonally in front of his office desk. It is a visitor''s sofa, but Wendy didn''t go there, she came next to the office desk and sat down on the desk with a smile. High Elf Wendy. I wanted to know where the soul goes, what happens in the end to a soul that has done a lot of bad things, and has done bad things for hundreds of years, according to her. In a way, he is the opposite of me. I don''t feel comfortable serving tea when you sit there. It''s okay, it''s okay, I don''t eat and drink. Really? "The High Elves live on a haze. That''s a lie, right? "No way. Wendy admitted it really easily, without apology. "But it''s close, when you do something bad, you can capture the energy from it. That''s convenient. The ends and the means are aligned. "...... What''s going on?Looking like a pigeon ate a peashooter. "Oh no, don''t lie!I thought I was going to get poked at. "I don''t need to get into the truth. "You think it''s true? Because isn''t it? When I asked her back, Wendy gave me a complicated look. "What''s wrong with your face now? "Hmmm, you know what, I''d like to do something bad, right?That''s why I usually mix about 90% of my conversations with lies. Ten percent is true. That way more people can lie and cheat. Then he winked at me. I see. That''s why sometimes I don''t know if it''s true or not, but it''s more complicated when you can pinpoint the truth and tell the truth. I see. It''s hard. I wonder what she would look like if I told her it was funny. Anyway, what are you doing here today? That''s right. I just came to complain. "Claim? Ta-isha. It''s almost like there''s a heart at the end of the word. I found it a bit amusing to see if there has ever been such a s*xy way to say "pardon". "You''re going to pardon me for your marriage. And it applies to you, even though you''re wanted and not under arrest. That''s why I''ve been on the run for so long, and I''ve blown up a lot of cases. "Hmmm. Well, it''s not good to keep running away without justice. "That''s what I''m talking about. . so screw you!I''m here to say. I see. But that''s not enough for me, so I thought I''d do something else as well. What is it? Your eyes. Wendy put a finger to her lips and spoke in a prank-like gesture. She''s a cute little girl, like she grew up in happiness and didn''t know any ill will. Thank you. "I thought it would be fun to fill the child with a little despair. I see. "...... is that all? Wendy''s eyes widened and she tilted her head. ''I said I''m going to mess up your precious wife, can you at least be angry? I''m not angry. Why? Because it''s impossible. "...... "Calamity is almost always with Angier. If not, I''ve taken a lot of steps to insure Angel''s safety. To put it bluntly, Angel is safer than Eliza--the emperor. So it''s impossible for you to do anything to him. "Uh-oh. . not cute. Wendy floundered and jumped off the desk. "In this place, you know, you could make a big show of it and threaten me with a ''I won''t hold you for free'' kind of thing. It would have been so cute if you did that. "I see, that''s a good point. Well, you''re not that good. "It''s second-rate? It''s cool, but at the end of the day, it''s just a scare.It''s great and top-notch to be the first to make the first move like you. I''ll take that as a compliment. "Hmmm. I don''t care if your wife is no good. I''m going to do bad things in places you don''t know about. That''s the trick, isn''t it? I chuckled. Including it is Wendy''s character, a high elf of supernatural beauty, yet strangely familiar feeling. So I never disliked Wendy. Rather... I''ll give it to you. I''ll give it to you. I opened the drawer and took out an invitation from inside. It''s a prototype, but as close to a finished product as possible. "What is this? Our wedding invitation. I also asked her to pass them out to our maid of honor, Amelia, who I had mistakenly placed with you. "Wow, ...... is magical! "Yes. "I''ve never seen magic before. What is it? "I have a lot of research collaborators, and they developed the matchmaking system for me. The "matchmaker"? The end of the line is up, Wendy. You look at me as if you were looking at something disgusting or fishy. The next thing you know, you''re holding the invitation in your hand like you have two fingers. "Shit. People will be coming to our wedding from all over the place. And for quite a long time. "In? "I hope to bring them together. This paper casts a spell like fortune telling. Also personality tests. Holders of the paper, their personalities, their destinies, and so on, can be attracted to each other through this medium. "Huh. Kids are a national treasure, so I wanted to bring people together who would work well for it. "You''re going to hand these out here and there? "Yeah, look, there''s still so much-- As I pulled another magic-granted invitation out of the drawer, my invitation and Wendy''s began to glow at the same time. They both lit up, flickering at the same pace. Wendy''s eyes glazed over for a moment. "...... ha-ha-ha-ha-ha He burst out laughing. I''ve never seen that before, but that''s the reaction you get when you''re good together. Yeah, well, yeah. Nodding with a slight smile. As expected, this is not what I expected. "Ha-ha-ha-ha, I didn''t expect you and I to be so good together. It''s so cute! I think I''ve hit the nail on the head, and I''ve been getting the biggest laughs since I met them. I wonder if that''s what they call it, or if it''s called "rubber" or "nemesis. "I don''t think I''d read it that way, Well, but I guess I kind of get it. The laughter died down, and Wendy wiped tears from the corners of her eyes with her second knuckle. "You and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum of good and evil. It''s only fitting that we come full circle. Maybe. "Well, it was worth it to come here today. I''ll take this one. With a satisfied look on her face, Wendy turned and walked away, disappearing in a manner that felt the exact opposite of when she appeared. Wendy, who came in like a storm and left like a storm. I never thought I''d be so good with her. Did you see it in her? I thought it was a little funny, too. 195 13. Good people, design a new house Nighttime bedroom. Like thousands of nights we''ve spent together, Angier and I are getting changed into our pajamas and are about to go to bed together. "Looks like it''s going to be a sunny day tomorrow. Is that so? "Yes. I nodded and looked out the window. A heavy rain was crunching against the window, just a step before the storm. The rain doesn''t seem to be stopping at all, but the air on my skin feels like it did the day before it cleared up. When it feels like this, there''s almost a 100% chance that it will clear. "Then I''ll go out with Miss Calamity. Yes, I''ll be at the mansion, so if you need anything, just call me. "Yes! I climbed into bed with a smiling Angel and went to turn out the light. Then there''s a knock at the door. A quiet but unobtrusive, apologetic knock. Who is it? "Sorry for the absence, "Amelia. Yes. With permission, Amelia came into the bedroom. Angel and I are in our pajamas, while Amelia is still in her maid''s uniform - her work outfit. What''s the matter? "I just received a report that something is trapped in the master''s God statue. "...... Creator God? "It looks exactly the same as before, so perhaps. Sorry for the absence. No, I''m glad to hear that. So now I''m going to-- I was about to say, and swallowed the words in my throat as I remembered my outfit. "Just extra people to watch tonight, just to be sure. I''ll check on them after tomorrow, just to be sure. "I''ll get right to it. After a brief moment, Amelia left the room. After seeing her off, I turned around and held up my sword to Angel, who was unresponsive on the bed. "I''m sorry I left you alone, "Nope. Is it more than that, are you okay?I have to go now. Because I trust Amelia''s judgment. "Amelia''s decision? It''s the same as always, so it''s not a problem, but I just thought I''d let you know because you''re dealing with them. That''s why Amelia is here at this hour. "I see! "So it''s okay. "Yes! Angier nodded with a smiling face. Seeing Angel, he saw the door through which Amelia had left. "What is it, Mr. Alec? ...... I need to talk to Angel about something, if that''s okay. "Yes, what is it? Angier sat upright on the bed and adjusted his residence to listen to what he had to say. I''m thinking of moving out. "Is ...... moving out? . . in our new house. This mansion is still new, too. Angel wondering. She''s right. When you moved to Avalon, the mansion you set up after the affair was over is still new. Yeah, but this place kind of has the feel of a place to work. In my opinion. "Yes!Alec working in the mansion, it''s always good looking. Thank you. If I didn''t see you changing into your pajamas right now, I would have suggested that I go to the site and check it out right away. So I thought it would be better to move into a new house that is completely disconnected from work, where I can have a good night''s rest - I thought. "I see! I don''t know. "Yes!I''m very excited about my new home with Alec! I see. When I look at Angier''s happy and innocent appearance, I can''t help but lower my eyes. Alec-sama!What kind of home do you want? "Hmm, what kind of Angers do you like? "I am? Yeah. I''d like to hear what Angier has to offer first. "Well ...... Oh, wait a minute! Angier jumped off the bed and walked out of the room as well. You have to wait and wait, wondering what''s going on. Angel came back with a large piece of paper. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Alec. What''s that? "I wrote my house with Alec. "Which one? Look at the paper that Angier held out to me. It was a floor plan of a house. "Interesting structure, with lots of rooms and ...... radial?I wonder if it''s placed in concept. "Yes! "There are a lot of rooms, which one is mine and Angel''s room? "My room is here. Angier pointed to a single room on the drawing. The central living room in a radial arrangement and in a circle?Or is it the living room?There''s a lot of work that''s going on around it. Angier pointed to one of them. "So that''s where you are. "Yes!I am here. "I see. ...... Me? Suddenly, Angier''s words stuck with me. I''ll try to remember - yes, you said "I am" before. Is it possible--. "Isn''t my room different? "Yes!Alec, you can go wherever you want. You decide whose place you want to go, depending on your mood. Angel explains with a big smile on his face. So I see, these are the "rear courts" that Angier wrote down. Each one of these rooms is for Angel and the others, as yet unseen. And there is no room for me, the building is intended for me to stay in the room of the girl I want to stay in as I please. When did you come up with this? My sister told me that once upon a time, there was a man who did this kind of thing. "I see. The rightful wife who rules the side room. I''ve heard this story from Elisa, and she''s told Angel as well. What do you think, Master Alec? I''m sure I''m okay with this kind of thing, but I wonder how it''s going to work in practice. Speaking of which, what about ...... "Hmm. I thought for a moment and gently touched the blueprint that Angier had drawn up. I used my magic and transformed matter. Then the paper quickly changed shape like a plant growing in fast forward. It grew (changed shape) like a plant growing in fast-forward. The paper became a miniature house, like a toy house. Wow. ...... It''s a model I made based on a diagram of Angers. "Yes!Oh, here. "Hmm? The doors of the room are blocking each other. Really. This is not the way to make it. Let''s rewrite it. Touch the model of the house and further use the magic of matter transformation. Turn the model back to paper. What was once a model has turned into a blank sheet of white paper. Now it''s a white paper with no writing on it. What was the magic, Alec? Angel is familiar with the transformation of matter back to paper, but this is the first time I''ve seen the magic that was cast afterwards, so I asked her curiously. There are picture books that pop up, aren''t there? Yes, it''s a picture book that pops up when you open it, with paper houses and characters. I cast a similar spell. The floor plan written on this paper becomes a model of your house by itself. For example. I drew a picture on paper. It was a simple house with a peaked roof, as a child might hang. Immediately after I finished the drawing, a translucent image appeared on the paper. Like this. "Wow. ...... Angier''s eyes sparkled. "And ...... like this Next to the picture on the paper, a small room was added as if it were attached to the paper. Then, in real time, the little room was added to the floating image. Wow! Let''s add and tweak it. "Yes! Angier nodded with a smile. I erased my poorly drawn shack-like picture and handed the pen to Angel. After all, maybe your room should be a little bigger than the rest. "Really?Well then ...... something like this? Or the same size, but differentiated by placement and orientation. How about something like this? The night passed in the midst of the exchange. We forgot to go to sleep and immersed ourselves in the design of our new house. 196 14. Good cycle of good people and happiness The morning sun is shining, the birds are chirping. At dawn, Angel and I are staring at the finished drawings. You did it. Yeah, we just need to make a real one. "Dear Alec, what does ''May Angelica'' mean here?It''s got my name on it. Angier pointed to the top of the drawing, to the last string of letters I had written, and asked, "This ''May'' means an old word for country. This ''May'' is an old word for country. "Country, is it? It''s an old word, so it doesn''t just mean a country. ...... Yes, it means ''lord of one castle''. Maybe it''s better translated as ''world''. Our new home, The World of Angers. "I''m a little embarrassed. ...... "Get it together, Angier, we''re all in this together. "...... Yes! Angers in the main room unites the side rooms that will soon be formed. Eliza has often said that she would become a byword for the wise wives of history. Angel has the makings of such a thing to begin with, and with Eliza''s suggestion, she''s becoming more and more motivated to do so. May Angelica (Angel''s World). I was more and more excited about my new life here. Mmmmmm ...... Angier was staring at me with a smiling face. I''m sure it''s partly due to the tension of being up all night, but it''s something else, and Angel is looking at me in a good mood. You look happy, Ange. "Yes, Master Alec is happy to see you. "Me? I was a little surprised by Angier''s return. I thought it was because of "Mae Angelica", but it''s not so. I wondered if she looked that happy to touch her face. ...... could be. I''m not a natural-born, born-again aristocrat. I''ve been reincarnated with the memories of my previous life, so I think differently than my father and mother, or Angers, who were noblemen in their own right. You have to be able to have a good understanding of what you''re doing. "You''re an aristocrat, these things happen. And I''m convinced of that. Angers don''t even think that way, but are convinced of it as a normal, natural thing. I am a commoner at heart, and I long for a house. And if it''s a new house, even more so if it''s a new house with my wife. I think that happiness showed on his face. And it made Angel smiling too. Seeing that Angel, I think to myself. "Are you happy when I''m happy? "Of course. Yes, and it makes me happy to see Angier happy. "Yes! Angier nodded more and more happily. The contagion of happiness, its synergistic effect. I put my hand to my chin and pondered. "If I use the ...... plum warding principle, I might be able to "Mr. Alec? "Angel, just stand there. "Yes ......, I understand. I''m not sure what''s going on, but Angier complied with my request, while tilting his head slightly. In front of Angel, I pulled out the wise man''s sword that I always carry on my back and lightly swung it with magic power. On the fine carpet in the room, I draw a magic circle around Ange. Standing in the flickering magic circle, Angier takes his distance while I hold the philosopher''s sword. At some distance, you draw a magic circle with the same wizard''s sword. Step inside the circle, thrust your sword into the center of the circle and place your hands on the hilt as if you were using it as a wand. Increase magic power. Seize the peak of your magic with the mupapat formula and release it with the application of the plum wards. A pillar of light rises from the magic circle at Angier''s feet and mine, piercing the ceiling. ...... Okay. "What kind of magic is this, Mr. Alec? Angier, who had been standing there and watching while I was doing it as he was told, asked me, "I think it''s faster to show you how to do it than to explain. I think it''s faster to show you what I''m doing than to explain. Wait a minute. I do that, I close my eyes. I remember, not a memory, but a feeling. A feeling that I had felt in my previous life right before my rebirth, until the day I died. This is ...... Dear Alec, are you sad? You got the message. What does it mean? When you''re in this magic circle, you can feel their emotions. Not just what you see on the surface, but what you''re feeling in the moment. "I see. Convinced Angier, relieved that Plum''s warding application worked. Oh, I''m so relieved now. Haha, that means it works great. Now we just need to improve it. "Is it an improvement? Yes, I''ll tell you everything now, but the finished version will only tell you how happy I am, and I''ll put it in every room of my new house. "Oh, ...... everyone''s happy. "Yeah, I''m happy to feel happy. I hope it works. I''ll do my best!I will do my best for Alec-sama! Lightly clenching his fists, enthused Angel. When your relatives are happy, you''ll be happy too, and this is a new house to live with those kids. The box and the people inside. I thought about both of them, and my expectations were high. Ehehehehe ...... Feeling this through the magic circle, Angier smiled more and more happily. 197 The Good Man Gets the Piece from the gourd The wedding was less than a week away. The city of Avalon was getting livelier and livelier. In the midst of all this, I was in my office, frowning at a story Eliza had brought to me. "Is that true? "Yes, I just saw it with my own eyes a few minutes ago. It''s great, because I''d offer you 10 times as much and you''d say no. "Inn, ka Eliza has a story to tell, that all the inns in Avalon are nearly full. Travelers from all over the country are coming to prepare for our wedding in a week and that''s why the inn is flat. Some people are reselling the rights to the inn. It seems you have to pay 30 times the market price to buy it. That''s a lot of work for ....... Get up and look out the window. The city of Avalon below is certainly a lot more crowded than it was right after I arrived here. It''s hard to be popular. Eliza came up beside me, grinning, and poked me in the side with her elbow. ...... "Huh?What do you think? I just thought I had to fix the situation. "This situation is ...... missing lodging this? "Yes. It''s none of my business, but I think it''s best to stay out of it. "...... Why? "Nothing will ever come along beyond the event of Alec welcoming the chamber. So this is the peak. If we try to get through this and add more lodgings, there will be a chorus of deserted birds afterwards. ...... It''s true, isn''t it? Eliza was right. This is true for everyone, not just me. Nobles and commoners alike, the moment in life that brings people together the most is the same moment. That is, the moment of the wedding. So this panic now is only a week''s madness. Don''t mess with it, says Eliza. That makes sense, I can do it. ....... "Hmm. What''s up? No, it''s Alec. You think you have to do something about it, though. ...... Yeah, I''m going to be there. I want to make sure everyone has a good time on the day for me and everyone who came for Angel. I knew it. All right, I''ll take care of the accommodation. Eliza twisted around and headed for the exit of the office. "Eliza? "There was a block in the middle of a development to the southwest, I''m going to build it all up there. "Are we going to make it? "Who are you talking to? Eliza stops, turns around and smiles over her shoulder. "This is the emperor of the empire, I will easily clear the difficult task ten times harder than this one. "...... Thank you, Eliza. "For Angers Eliza walked out of the room, leaving a smile on her face. Now, if that''s so, then I have to think more and more. How to handle the overflowing inn after the wedding. As I was thinking about it, something shifted in front of me. "Lord. The one who came was Astaroth. She is a true goddess of fertility who calls me lord. May I give you an update? Yes, what is it? Sitting back in his chair, he received the report of Astaroth. As usual, her report was about the cultivation and harvesting of land in Avalon and the Alexander League lands. I would like to give the best harvest to the village that has worshipped the Lord the most ...... Astaroth had a complicated look on his face. "Is there some kind of inconvenience? I couldn''t get rid of the idea that it was somewhat of a foul play. What do you mean? The statue of the Lord is set up in that village as well. "Technically, though, it''s a statue of Astaroth. There is a statue of the Lord. Of course, villagers pray to the statue, but there is a widespread story that it is a place of pilgrimage at the suggestion of someone else. "A place of pilgrimage? "Therefore, besides the people of the village, there are others who come from all over to pray to the Lord. Okay, so you think that''s a foul play, right? Nodding Astaroth. Astaroth, who is a true goddess, acts and speaks as if she worships me, a human being. So you can''t tolerate injustice when it comes to me. To be honest I don''t particularly care about that. I built the cave and had the statue built because that''s what Astaroth wanted, and I''m not going to ask for a price - in this case, what he asks for is faith in me. So, you see. I think it''s good. You''re going to use your head to get more people to pray to me. It''s ...... I think that would be good. Or rather, I''ll leave it to Astaroth. If you think it''s good, it''s good; if it''s not good, it''s not good. That should work. "...... Got it. Astaroth bowed to me and left the office in transition. The moment I thought to myself, "She''s a very serious goddess ....... Ah ...... A white light went through my head and I had an epiphany. This would keep the ...... tourists coming. The tips Astaroth gave me and I set out to implement them immediately. Stars In the center of Avalon, the site of the wedding ceremony. There, surrounded by a curtain, I was bringing in a fresh statue. What is it? "Eliza Eliza, speaking to me from behind, looked up at the statue and nodded her head. "Is it okay to come here?Where is the accommodation? I didn''t build it, I gave the orders, I specified the rewards and the punishments. Okay, that''s good enough for me. Credit must be given. Eliza as a ruler is very aware of that. That''s why her commands are powerful, actionable. What''s more. This is a statue of God of Juno. Juno ...... Goddess of marriage. . He promised to come down on the day and congratulate me and Angel. "That''s this place ...... hahaha Eliza chuckled, she seemed to have figured it out. Yes, if we put a statue of the god here for Juno''s arrival, this will be the holy place for Juno''s arrival. Moreover, she is the goddess of marriage that most people in the world want. When the ceremony is over, people will come here incessantly to seek blessings. Seeking blessings. That kind of thing. You do. Eliza approached the statue and touched it lightly with her hand. "It''s just a stone statue. One thing like this is the best value for money ever, keeping all the tourists in line. This is the best value for money in history. Good, I''m glad Eliza said so. To be honest, I''m not sure if it''s enough for a statue, so I thought about casting a spell, but if Eliza says so, then it should be fine. If not, then no, you can add it later. "Hmm. What''s going on? "I''m not the first unmarried person to pray to this statue of God, am I? "Come to think of it, "Looks beneficial. I have. I answered immediately. "I see. Eliza smiled back at me. I''ve decided not to say anything else until after the ceremony with Angel, but I''m glad to see that Elisa could feel it. Pieces from a gourd, I guess.