Alicia: “The bracelet is acting up?”
Igni: “Yeah, something happened to it during the middle of the day.”
Igni wanted to take a walk outside at night and get some fresh air, and coincidentally, Alicia was out walking during the same hour.
That’s why the two of them sat next to each other on the beach as they gazed at the ocean waves.
Alicia: “So can you elaborate on what caused it act up?” Igni: “It happened when it got soaked in water.” Alicia: “Soaked in water?” Alicia repeats the words to confirm.
Igni: “Yeah, that’s right.” Alicia: “When it got soaked……...but yes, it depends on the how the Magical Artifact is made, but there shouldn’t be any problems with it getting wet.”
Igni: “Do you think it degraded in quality?”
Alicia: “Hmmー I don’t think it would get worn out that quickly but……”
Alicia said so and went back to her thoughts.
Alicia: “Well, anyways. I don’t think we’ll come up with an answer just thinking about it here. You still have the spare bracelet I gave you, right?” Igni: “Yeah. Right now, I’m having Sara wear that one.”
Alicia: “Okay, good. Oh, and can I have the old one? I’m going to hand it to our Research Division and have them look into it.”
Igni: “Thanks, Alicia. You’re helping me out a lot here.”
Alicia: “I don’t mind. And it’s not just me. It’s helping the Empire as well.”
Igni: “Oh yeah?”
Alicia: “They were all ecstatic about being able to gather rare data.”
Igni: “Even so, thank you.”
Igni looked at Alicia, and directly thanked her.
Alicia: “WhーWhat are you staring at?”
Igni: “I wanted to thank you properly. It’s thanks to you that Sara is now able to walk around outside normally like everyone else.”
Alicia: “Igni, you’ve really taken a liking to Sara. Is it because she’s attached to you?”
Igni closes his eyes to think over Alicia’s question before he answers.
Igni: “Because…….we’re alike.”
That was his answer.
Alicia: “Alike? You and Sara?” Igni: “Yeah, we’re alike.”
Alicia: “How?” Igni: “Because of the abilities we were born with, we both couldn’t live normal lives.”
A gentle <splash> echoes as the sound of the waves fills the silence.
Alicia: “Does it…….still bother you?”
Igni: “No, I’m thankful for the way my body is. It’s how I became the [Strongest]. But Sara is a little different, right?”
Alicia: “You’re right. Unlike you, we don’t know if she’ll ever be able to control that power of hers.”
Sara is doing training exercises to control her Magic Power, but it hasn’t gone too well. Even now, if she lets her Magic Power overflow, the entire area would transform into the [Demon King’s Realm].
Alicia: “I wonder why a child was in a place like that…..”
Igni: “The teachers were saying that maybe the [Demon King] abducted her……..and made her into a weapon that would be used against humanity or something like that.”
Alicia: “It’s a likely possibility.”
Igni: “Yeah.” They say that the [Demon King] was a being of pure malice and evil with no heart, compassion, or kindness.
That’s why it’s not strange to hypothesize that he tainted all the lands with corrupted magic just to eradicate humanity.
Alicia: “Hey, Igni…….”
Igni: “Hm?”
As they both felt the night wind graze their faces, Alicia opened her mouth to speak.
Alicia: “What do you think about the [Hurricane] Alicia?”
Igni: “What do I think?” Alicia glanced at Igni's face briefly with worry in her eyes.
Igni researched Alicia’s background after he fought with her sister, Celia.
Alicia is the Empire’s greatest anti-air weaponry.
Although she is only an [A] compatibility, with gruesome effort and training, she was the witch that ruled the skies.
Igni: “My first thoughts were about how hard she must have worked.”
Alicia: “Why?” Igni: “Because……...I worked pretty hard too, so I know how difficult it can be. Especially when you’re only an [A] compatibility and how hard you had to train to learn to be able to use Epic-Scale Spells.”
Alicia: “.........because your compatibility is [F]......”
Igni: “That’s why it’s easier for me to imagine how much effort you must have put in and hard difficult it was…...that’s what came through to me. You’re a very hard worker.”
Alicia: “Liar……..”
Igni: “It’s not a lie. It’s the truth.”
Igni thought so from the bottom of his heart.
That’s why Alicia also felt his sincerity from her heart.
Alicia: “..........thank you…..” Alicia whispered those words under her breath.
And Igni returned it with a “You’re welcome.”
Alicia: “Hey, Igni.” Igni: “Hm?” Alicia: “Can you tell me your story?”
Igni: “My story?” Alicia: “Yeah, I want to hear it.”
At Alicia’s question, Igni remembered the Ultimate Secret to Popularity Rule No. 4 ーー Women love a Mysterious Man. But they love a man even more that can draw their attention and open up to them.
Igni: “I was born…….as a Noble.”
Alicia: “I thought you might be.”
Alicia couldn’t tell him that she glanced through the confidential files of the Empire’s covert organization and just left it at that.
Igni: “But my compatibility was [Fire] : [F] and……...I couldn’t even use the Spell {Fireball} that well.”
Alicia: “Really? I thought you were that strong from the very beginning.”
Igni: “No, I was really weak. So I was kicked out of my home and worked like a slave for about a year. That’s when I met Grandpa……...Lucas and trained at the [Demon King’s Realm].”
Alicia: “And then you enrolled into the Academy?” Igni: “Yeah. What about you, Alicia?” Alicia: “For me, I was always in the battle field.”
Alicia speaks very softly.
Alicia: “Ever since I was little.”
She hid her face under her hat, and Igni could not see her expression.
Alicia: “Since I learned about my compatibility in the Compatibility Ritual, for 3 years, I was always in the sky. My job was to kill anyone who would get in the way of the Empire. Using Spells, the enemies would try to invade or attack us from the skies, so I kept dropping them down. But I hated it and ran away.”
Igni: “And then you came to school?” Alicia: “Yeah, but……..my sister came and……….I thought it was all over then.”
Igni waited patiently and quietly for her to continue.
Alicia: “Because my sister is an [Extreme]. I knew you were strong, Igni, but I never thought that you could ever beat her.”
Alicia turns towards Igni.
Alicia: “That’s why I was so happy.”
Igni: “You were crying. I couldn’t think of doing anything else except to help you.”
Alicia: “But there’s no one who could defeat an [Extreme] with just that.”
Alicia laughed aloud as she spoke.
Igni: “I was genuinely glad from the bottom of my heart, that I was strong that day.”
Alicia: “Really?” Igni: “If I wasn’t, I couldn’t have saved you.” Alicia: “...............”
Alicia pulls down her hat further over her face.
Igni: “We should be getting back inside.”
Alicia: “........o”
Igni: “What’s wrong?” Alicia: “..........no.”
Alicia reached out and gripped Igni’s clothes tightly.
Alicia: “Just…….a little bit longer.”
As if to beg, she quietly whispered to him.
Igni: “Sure.” Alicia’s face that was shown in the moonlight was so cute, that Igni’s heart almost stopped.
Alicia: “Igni, are you going to marry the Saint?” Igni: “MーMarry? Why ask that all of a sudden?” Alicia: “It bothered me, so I wanted to ask.”
Igni: “I’m not sure. I haven’t really thought about marriage and stuff so…….WHOA!”
While he was speaking, Igni was pushed forcefully down, and he laid on the beach.
Igni: “Hey, Alicia?! What are youーー”
Igni wanted to protest at Alicia, but Alicia held his mouth closed with hers.
Igni: “................” Alicia: “.................”
Igni was still surprised, and Alicia’s face was bright red. They remained like that, and finally Alicia released him.
Alicia: “Igni.” Sitting on top of Igni, the moonlight continued to shine over Alicia.
Alicia: “I love you.”
And she smiled.
