“A citizen requires a surname too. Then, is your name going to be Mer Merdein?”
Eugene had suddenly gotten something to tease Mer over. As the thought came to his mind, he turned to Mer and smirked.
“MerMerMerdein.”
“…You are truly something, Sir Eugene,” Mer muttered as she was seething.
“Didn’t Sir Hamel die when he was thirty-eight? And you are twenty years old right now, Sir Eugene.”
“Yeah, that’s right,” Eugene answered.
“So if we add your age from the past life, then you are fifty-eight years old right now. It’s close to sixty. How could you be so childish?”
“Trempel Vizardo is close to seventy, but he said I was a flighty rulebreaker because I flew across the city,” Eugene retorted, but he felt bitter. The moment when he had felt great about calling Ciel a flighty rulebreaker came to his mind. He thought that when he met Ciel again, he should really apologize to her about that.
“I never wished for a surname, but I don’t really mind even if my name becomes Mer Merdein. Lady Sienna gave me the name, and Merdein is Lady Sienna’s surname whom I really really like and respect.”
“I think your name came from ‘Merdein.’”
“…That can’t be possible. Lady Sienna is wiser and more considerate than you know, Sir Eugene. There must be some other reason why my name is Mer,” Mer quickly replied.
“I really don’t think there is another reason….”
“How could you possibly know what Lady Sienna thinks, Sir Eugene? I am Mer Merdein. Besides, I can’t use your surname and become Mer Lionheart. ”
‘...Actually, it wouldn’t be that bad, would it?’ Mer stopped speaking as she was absorbed in thought.
Mer had complete faith in the fairytale. She had never thought that Sienna was the author of the fairytale. That was understandable, that fairytale…the first edition was too much even in Mer’s eyes. The Beautiful Sienna, the Cute Sienna—those were the actual words written in the book.
‘…That fairytale must have been written by one of Lady Sienna’s followers.’
If Mer thought rationally, that was the reasonable answer.
It wasn’t rare for such things to happen. Even in this generation, many people still followed the hero and his companions for killing the demon kings. Therefore, everyone on the continent must have followed the hero and his companions 300 years ago.
‘Sir Eugene and Lady Sienna didn’t say that the fairytale was a complete fiction,’ Mer thought. But then, a line from the book came to her mind.
‘Sienna, I really liked you.’
‘Even if Sir Eugene denies having said such a thing, the book was written in a way for Sir Hamel to leave that kind of will…then doesn’t it mean there was something going on between them?’
Mer recalled Sienna’s life in Aroth. She had taught her magic to her three disciples. The disciples had given their hearts and souls for Sienna to not be lonely. She had also opened her heart to the disciples. The only people who personally interacted with Sienna were the disciples and Mer.
Mer remembered Sienna used to bury herself in the magic research without sleeping for days in the empty mansion. Dozens of party invitations came every month, but Sienna never accepted the invitation. She never even opened them….
‘…Sir Eugene said Lady Sienna considers me like a daughter.’
Mer clenched her small fist. When a man and a woman got married, the couple’s surname was decided by their families’ power—whoever was from the stronger family got to keep their surname.
The surname ‘Merdein’ belonging to the Wise Sienna, or the surname ‘Lionheart’ belonging to the most prestigious house on the continent…. If she became Mer Merdein, nothing would change, but what if she became Mer Lionheart? If she welcomed Sienna with the surname of Lionheart….
“What are you thinking about?” Eugene asked as he turned back to Mer.
She flinched after being brought to reality. “Yeah, yeah yeah yeah. What?”
“What could you possibly think about to space out that hard? You’re even drooling.”
“No, nope. I’m not drooling.” Mer quickly wiped her mouth. She really wasn’t drooling.
“So, what are you going to do now? Are you really going with Mer Merdein?”
“…Mer Lionheart doesn’t sound so bad,” she quietly answered.
“No, you can’t use it.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s out of my authority. It’s true the main house loves me, but that doesn’t mean I can name you Lionheart as I please.”
“Wouldn’t it be okay if you become the Patriarch, Sir Eugene?” She asked.
“Do I have to become a Patriarch to name you Mer Lionheart when I don’t even want the seat?” Eugene grumbled as he stared at the document for the citizen card in front of Mer. The slot for her surname was still blank.
“…Then how about Sir Lovellian’s surname? He said he didn’t mind.”
“I know the Red Tower Master is a nice person, but that doesn’t mean I want his surname. I also don’t want to burden the Red Tower Master into having a daughter when he didn’t even get married yet,” Mer shrugged.
In the end, Mer became Mer Merdein. Since the superior office had ordered the person in charge beforehand, Mer’s citizen card was issued right away.
Mer held up her citizen card with both hands, eyes sparkling.
“…I feel like I became a human.”
“I honestly can’t tell the difference,” said Eugene.
“That’s because you are looking away from the truth, Sir Eugene. You know better than anyone else that I’m not a human. The only reason I can exist like this is that my control formula is engraved inside you,” Mer giggled as she rose up from her seat.
“Aside from Lady Sienna, no wizard will be able to build a familiar that behaves as human-like as I do. Still, I’m not a human. I’m… more like a golem.”
“…Golem?” Eugene asked.
The golem built by Hera a few years ago came to his mind. She said the golem was made with Carbrium, but it was impossible to call it a human.
“It is a big taboo in magic to create ‘life.’ Lady Sienna was arrogant and was more of a wizard than any other wizard, but…she never committed taboo.”
There was no blood running inside Mer. She didn’t even have a heart or other organs.
“The fact I can move doesn’t necessarily mean I’m alive. Life means soul, every living being has it. I don’t have a soul. My ego was built based on Lady Sienna’s childhood memories. I am simply an artificial intelligence that is capable of learning on its own. You have given me freedom by engraving my control formula in yourself… but my root still resides in Witch Craft.”
Mer smiled. Eugene quietly stared at her as she continued, “Just look at this citizen card. A citizen card is synchronized with the owner’s blood and only a living being can shed blood. Although it serves a similar purpose, it’s hard to call machine oil ‘blood,’ right?”
“You are too strict with yourself.” Eugene tousled Mer’s hair as he grumbled. “Artificial intelligence? So what? You don’t blindly follow orders, you make your own judgment. Blood and oil don’t run inside you, but mana does.”
“…What does that have to do with this?”
“I gained something as the owner of Akasha.” Eugene pulled aside his cloak to show Akasha.
“Akasha synchronizes with my consciousness to transform the spells that I have analyzed and learned into their optimal state. In other words, it ‘understands’ magic.”
“…”
“Akasha improves the owner’s understanding of magic, but it’s not perfect. Right now, I can’t understand every piece of magic that composes you. However, I do understand this: mana is the foundation of life.”
“…Foundation?”
“Yes, that’s why it has infinite possibilities. So what if only a living being can bleed? Mana runs in your body instead of blood. Rather than bone and flesh, perfectly bonded mana makes up your body.”
“…You can’t convince me with those kinds of words.”
“I told you, Akasha helped me understand magic. I can’t completely understand your control formula, but I do understand how your body was made. I can actually see it right now.” Eugene squinted as he stared at Mer.
“Mer, you’re right that Sienna is arrogant, more of a wizard than anyone else, and didn't commit a taboo. Just as you are strict because you were built based on Sienna's childhood personality, Sienna was strict and adhered to the rules when it came to magic. Still, she was mischievous and somewhat twisted.”
It wasn’t just Sienna. A wizard, especially an Archwizard, would inevitably fall into madness while trying to become stronger.
“Sienna does not commit taboos, she works around taboos. You are not technically a human, but Sienna still made you a human by working around the taboo, not committing it.”
Mer tried to hold back her tears, her face crumpled.
“Mer Merdein, you should be proud of yourself and you should be proud of this fact.”
A weird sound escaped from Mer’s mouth. Her pouting lips trembled and her eyes became teary.
Eugene had a mischievous smile on his face as he watched her. “Are you crying again?”
“…I’m not.”
“Your personality is based on Sienna’s when she was a child. Then doesn’t it mean Sienna was a crybaby if you are a crybaby?” Eugene teased her.
“No, no that’s not true. I’m not a crybaby and Lady Sienna isn’t a crybaby.”
“Come on, she is a crybaby. Sienna cried a lot when I died. Not only did she cry a lot after I died, but she also cried when she met me this time."
“…Lady Sienna is just sensitive. She has a very kind and beautiful heart, so she cries when the situation demands it.” Of course, Mer defended Sienna.
“Well, that’s the definition of a crybaby.” Eugene kept teasing Mer as they stepped outside.
“You finally came.” Melkith El-Hayah was wearing a big pair of sunglasses and a fur hat. The sunglasses were covering half her face, and the fur hat made Eugene question her fashion sense. Was that a fox tail sticking out of the fur coat? The fluffy fur around her neck seemed to symbolize her stubbornness.[1]
“What are you doing here?”
The White Tower Master twisted her curly hair underneath the hat. “I was waiting for you.”
Melkith’s eyes were on the Cloak of Darkness that Eugene wore. The cloak was originally her artifact. She had treasured it so much that she had rarely worn it… Melkith took a big breath and strode toward Eugene.
“Didn’t it get worn out a bit?”
“That’s not possible. As you may know as the former owner, an appearance restoration spell is cast on the cloak, Lady Melkith,” Eugene answered.
“…Former owner? That cloak is mine!”
“Oh, right. I have been using it for over three years, so I forgot.”
“…You have six years left.”
“Did you come all the way here to tell me that?”
“No way!” Lowering her sunglasses, Melkith glared at Eugene. The hearing had ended the day before, so she thought this was the perfect moment to speak with Eugene. However, she couldn’t because Lovellian had left with Eugene right after the hearing ended. She thought it was better that he had left like that, since she didn’t have to resist the temptation.
It had already been a few days since Eugene came to Aroth, and Melkith knew about his arrival on the first day. She had been patient in her own way, doing her best to suppress her desire to visit him.
‘…I can’t let him think I am the one who needs to meet him.’
Since she had been patient for a few days, she thought it would be okay to visit now.
“Is Wynnyd doing alright?”
“What’s there for it to not be alright?”
“You little… You have a nasty tongue.”
“Let me tell you something first. I won’t be lending Wynnyd to you, Lady Melkith. Isn’t it tiring and bothersome for both of us? And it’s not just us. I have to report to the Black Lion Castle to lend it to you, and they also need to send an observer.”
“…Hey, kid. Although it is good to do things by the book, a wizard should sometimes challenge and flout the rules. You are a Lionheart, but you are also a wizard, aren’t you?”
After quietly listening to Melkith, Mer burst into laughter. Melkith tilted her head in confusion, failing to understand why Mer laughed.
“…What? Why is she laughing?”
“She just heard the same thing from somebody else a moment ago.”
“…I assume it was you, wasn’t it? Great, you see through the true nature of wizards.” Melkith bragged as she patted Eugene’s shoulder. “Yes, kiddo. A wizard should be shrewd. Without violating the rules, a wizard should go around them and pursue their own profit. If you lend me Wynnyd only for a few days and we all stay quiet about this, then no one will know.”
“No matter what you say, I’m not lending you Wynnyd. As you said, Lady Melkith, I’m a wizard but I’m also a Lionheart.”
“…I’m guessing I can’t persuade you.” Melkith knitted her eyebrows. “Well, fine. I just suggested it. Let me be clear. I don’t have any lingering feelings, okay?”
“That’s good to know.”
She was lying. She had a metric ton of lingering feelings. However, these kinds of matters couldn’t be solved just because she insisted. Ultimately, Melkith didn’t have anything that could change Eugen’s mind.
She was an Archwizard and a Tower Master, so she had many valuable artifacts. However, she didn’t have many artifacts that were better than the Cloak of Darkness. That was Melkith’s magic armor and the artifact indefinitely belonged to her soul, so she could never give it to him.
‘Anything less than the Cloak of Darkness is worth nothing. Since I lent him the Cloak of Darkness, he will only be interested in an artifact on the same level. ’
She still had lingering feelings…but she didn’t insist any further. This wasn’t her primary goal anyway.
“Then how about this?” Melkith grabbed Eugene’s shoulders with her two hands.
“As you already know, I am the best spirit summoner in this century…no, in history. I am certain there won’t be a better spirit summoner than me for at least 200 years after I die.”
“Why 200 years? That’s oddly specific.”
“Are…you seriously asking that? The Great Vermouth was born 300 years ago, right? I was born 200 years later than him.”
‘Come to think of it, Melkith idolized Vermouth for contracting with the Wind Spirit King,’ thought Eugene
“…Oh, yeah. So?”
‘Cheeky little kid,’ Melkith thought. She was so annoyed by Eugene that she almost crushed his shoulders. She smiled as she calmed down with difficulty.
“And I will teach you spirit summoning magic. You may already know this, but this is once in a lifetime opportunity. Your teacher, Lovellian, is a brilliant wizard. Still, his magic and spirit summoning magic are entirely different.”
There was a reason for her confidence. Melkith was an Eighth Circle Archwizard who contracted with two spirit kings.
“…Aren't people born with the ability for spirit summoning magic?” Eugene lukewarmly asked. “People may be born with spirit affinity. If they have magic talent on top of that, they can instantly contract with a spirit when they begin to feel mana.”
“Geniuses are monsters with talent,” Melkith answered as she snorted. “As you said, innate talent is everything in spirit summoning magic. The reason I could make a contract with two spirit kings was that the lightning and earth spirits loved me ever since I was born. But so what? You are also called a genius. ”
“That’s why I’m saying this. A genius can never understand a man of no genius. You could naturally use the spirit summoning magic ever since you were born, Lady Melkith, but I can’t. How would it be possible for you to teach me spirit summoning magic?”
After letting Eugene’s shoulder go, Melkith stepped back. “...If we just consider the talent as a wizard…then, yes. Your teacher, Lovellian, is a better wizard than me. Yeah, I admit to that. I only reached the Eighth Circle by harmonizing the magic and the spirit summoning magic. But that’s why I’m unique, kiddo. I may not be a better wizard than your teacher, but I have something that your teacher can never have.”
“You sure do,” Eugene answered half-heartedly.
“It also applies to you. You are a genius of the Lionheart family, the most prestigious warrior family. Besides all that, you are also born with the magic talent so high that you have already reached the Fifth Circle at twenty. Thanks to Wynnyd, you can also control wind spirits.”
Melkith’s index finger dramatically swung from side to side.
“Innate talent is pretty much everything. With effort, an ordinary person can improve, but they cannot become a genius. You must understand this too, kid. Unlike martial power and magic talent, you aren’t born with spirit affinity, but it doesn’t matter anymore since you can talk to the Wind Spirit King. You are able to use magic and control spirits right now, that’s enough for you to learn.”
Eugene didn't answer and just stared at Melkith. She grinned and crossed her arms as she continued.
“Spirit summoning magic is about dealing with spirits, not magic. Just because someone is using a sword to cast magic, that doesn’t make them a swordsman, don’t you get it? That’s why I’m going to teach you. There is no better teacher than me in this world,” Melkith said.
Of course, she had an ulterior motive. Melkith was planning on summoning the Wind Spirit King using Wynnyd as a catalyst while she taught spirit summoning magic to Eugene.
He could read her mind so clearly.
[...Hamel.]
Tempest’s voice sounded in Eugene’s head.
[I hate her.]
‘Why?’
[You may not know this, but she is not in her right mind. Do you know what she did with Wynnyd when you lent it to her without my permission?]
‘I don’t know.’
[She rubbed her naked body against the sword! I can’t believe there is still a person who believes that barbaric and primal superstition…!]
Tempest let out a yell.
‘...Er…superstition?’
[The superstition about how the mix of a catalyst and a naked body triggers a spiritual response! How could a grand spirit summoner believe such superstition?!]
Well, Tempest had kind of brought that upon himself. Melkith had called him dozens, hundreds of times, but he hadn’t answered. Therefore, Melkith had ended up using a barbaric method.
[That’s not it. She swung Wynnyd against the wind on top of the tower, all naked, to summon me! She even made some weird, inhuman sounds!]
‘...’ Eugene kept listening to Tempest silently.
[I hate her. If you let her touch Wynnyd again, I will never answer your call.]
‘Are you blackmailing me right now? So what? Do you think I will be sorry if you don’t answer me?’
[... I will answer…but I hate her.]
Tempest desperately resisted.
“What’s your answer?” Melkith confidently asked.
“He says nope,” Eugene answered right away.
Melkith’s face contorted instantly.
“Why not? Wait… he says? Who is ‘he’?”
“Tempest.”
“…What?”
“I haven’t told you this yet, but I signed a contract with the Wind Spirit King.”
Eugene politely bowed and passed by Melkith. Mer also chuckled as she followed Eugene.
Melkith stayed frozen for a while. Then, she turned back, her neck stiff. She could see the shapes of Eugene and Mer in the distance.
“Where are you going!!”
Melkith let out a yelp and chased after Eugene.
1. Some might wonder what fluffy fur has to do with stubbornness. Right now, Melkith is wearing a fur hat and a fur coat with a fur collar(there is even a fur tail on her back as decoration!). It’s an uncommon choice, but Melkith is sticking with it. Right now, it just implies Melkith’s stubbornness for fashion, but in a larger sense, it implies Melkith’s overall stubbornness. ☜
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