The day of Selene's debut into the highs-society一一
Teto and I received an invitation through the adventurer's guild. After a discussion with the King, we stayed in the castle for three days before the party and hung out around the royal palace library.
Teto fought mock battles with her opponents this time being the royal palace's knights. I heard she also had an intense training battle with the knight leader Roland who was with the King at that time.
Teto hadn't gone all-out since there was a need to preserve the reputation of the knight leader.
In my case, I spent the days either immersing myself in the royal palace's library or debating about magic with a Court Mage grandpa.
The tales of the long living 一because of their huge mana capacity 一 court mage about his experiences was quite interesting though it was kinda embarrassing to be treated like a grandchild as he would gift me tea or sweets.
"Devils are of the same kind as spirits, they are magical lifeforms."
"Oh, so that's what they are. Spirits possess the power of the attribute they govern, so what about the devils?"
"Their types are extremely varied and wide-ranging. If spirits are born out of the magical power of the great nature, then devils originate from human society."
To be more specific, virtuous beings graced by gods are called spirits or wishes, or in folklore terms, divine or heroic spirits.
In contrast, sinister beings or those who harbor a similar nature become evil spirits, and, after becoming one, their consciousness gradually gets erased. Then they finally turn into evil harboring magical lifeforms, devils.
"And demonic possession refers to the situation when a devil houses itself inside a human."
"Why is it called an external method? Is it different from spirit magic?"
"They're fundamentally different. A human who houses a devil inside of them assimilates the devil's mana into their own for a quick increase in strength. However, the person's consciousness gets eroded, twisted by the devil's will, no, by the devil's malice and, eventually, their mind would be taken over."
Devil's possession was the phenomenon of assimilating a devil in themselves and, in most cases, the human's ego gets devoured by the devil because of the latter's huge amounts of mana.
With Spirit magic, the caster transfers their mana to the spirits to bring forth the desired phenomenon.
"Thus, those people eroded by the mana of devils ultimately go rogue, and then those devils gain true bodies. *This* form is what they called a devil of the demonic race."
"I see...... I certainly learned much."
Teto was a lifeform born with the assimilation of a golem and an earth spirit who lost her ego, so she's close to a being of the demonic race.
The discussion with the magician grandpa was interesting because he was more of a researcher than a practical magician.
" I am 150 years old, so talking with young ones like you is fun for me. Here, candies for you."
"Thank you very much. And you have lived for quite a long time."
"I have lived for way too long. I wanted to die at around my 50s or 60s."
Medical arts rely on healing magic or potions but even then, the average life expectancy in this world where medical arts have stagnated a bit was around 50 years. Although it's said that people with higher mana reserves could live longer, even then, their maximum life expectancy was around 60 years.
Regular magicians, adventurers, or those who have tapped into their mana can live up to 70 to 80 years.
I was also able to learn about such information on mana and life expectancy.
"Actually. I have found in my research that two different types of lifespans develop among humans."
"Two different types?"
"That's right. In one kind, lifespan grows and maintains the prime of a human while on another type, a human who has their appearance fixed when their mana was raised to a certain limit."
Well, the more mana one has, the longer one lives but I, who had not grown up at all, might be in the latter group, I thought while asking一
"Why do some magicians have their appearance fixed when their mana grows to a certain level?"
"This, I don't know. After all, a majority of humans fall into the former category while very few are in the latter. It is said that the humans created by the gods at the genesis of the world held similar qualities. Specifically, they're like a high elf among elves or an elder dwarf among dwarves."
And when I asked about examples of humans or beastkins that are like high elves or elder dwarves, the old man said that their numbers were either reduced in the long history of war, since they can still die no matter how long their lifespan can be, or they escaped and hid somewhere to avoid wars.
"There are also cases where they were worshipped as Sages due to them not getting old and having their appearance fixed at a certain age or, the more prominent one, labeled as witches or evil beings and persecuted. Well, these might be cases where they were confused with the devil-possessed humans I guess."
"I never knew that......"
"If you ask me, I would push forward my theory that although anyone can have a long lifespan under the influenced of their mana, perpetual youth has existed since the beginning of the world, though people who have that are extremely rare in the present time."
"Thank you very much for telling me such a wonderful story."
"Fufufufu, as long as you like it, young lady."
Humans created by the gods, huh? I guess I should be having same qualities as the genesis humans since I could be counted as the creation of a goddess.
"Finally, me being an eternal loli is confirmed", I thought. In that case, maybe I should just give up.
With such feelings inside me, I passed my days hearing the amusing tales of the court mage grandpa, and, finally, the day of the party arrived.
"Majou-sama~ the food is there! Everything looks so delicious-nanodesu!"
"If Teto wants some, then you are free to eat."
There's nothing like a ball dance in a high society event so we stand by the wall or the place where food was arranged and waited for the event to begin.
People frowned at the appearance of Teto piling food on her plate and eating. Though it was just a good grief moment for me, I must not let my guard down.
I sharpened my senses since there was a possibility of an attack from the Evil Cult and while I was doing that, I found a trend among the people gathered in the hall of the royal palace.
"Interesting, there sure are a lot of people with high mana capacity."
I guess it should be a lineage thing.
Those who raised their military exploits inevitably excelled at «Body Strengthening» or magic and they have higher mana reserves to support that.
The average amount of mana I could sense from them was higher when compared to commoners.
I wonder if they were born with high mana reserves or if it happened after they had gone through the aristocrats' traditional mana training.
Just as I was waiting for the event to start while thinking about such things, I noticed some fleeting glances towards me.
(What's the matter? Is my attire so strange?)
I looked at my appearance to check but I didn't see anything significantly strange.
My attire was prepared by the aristocrats' purveyor. I did give them all sorts of effects with «Enchant Magic» but the design should have been on the light and subdued spectrum so I really don't get the reason for the attention I'm getting.
When I was trying to figure it out, a young boy spoke to me.
"N, Nice to meet you. I'm Oland, the second son of the House of Count Flamea. Which house member are you? This is the first time I've seen you, is today your debut?"
I was perplexed when the boy suddenly talked to me.
I see, so I was thought of as the daughter of an aristocratic family from somewhere when they spotted me, a 12-year-old-looking young girl they haven't seen before.
Now that I carefully surveyed the hall, there were many young boys and girls closer to Selene's age, I wonder if anyone among them was her future fiance or friend candidate.
I see, so I was misunderstood by these kids一一
"I'm Chise, and I came from the Church of five goddesses. Unfortunately, I do not bear any family name."
"Chruch...... I see."
It was the answer I had prepared beforehand for the time when I was asked from which side I'm attending the event.
一From the church, this was one of the means used by people who have joined the church and discarded their family name and I'm using this fact to my advantage this time.
Though, sisters who joined Chruch could also return to the mundane life and reassume their family name when the situation calls for it.
"I have to say, you have very pretty hair and eyes. They're as beautiful as obsidian."
"Oh? You sure are a smooth talker."
Maybe this should be the conventional phrase of society.
I don't usually get praised since I wore my triangular hat too low to the point that my hair and eyes were hidden from others so an awkward smile crept up on my face unconsciously.
Then, the boy looked slightly dejected, maybe thinking I was just being polite, but he steadied his emotions and spoke once again.
"What do you think? Can we talk a bit more over there?"
"Unfortunately, I have to decline your offer. Please don't mind me and enjoy yourself."
"You don't have to say that, it would be such a waste to stay here like a wallflower."
After saying that, he tried to make me accompany him but someone suddenly release their pressure using mana from the sideline.
"What are you trying to do?"
Teto, who was holding a plate with food on it, slightly pressured the boy with her mana while smiling.
"I, I'm sorry."
He then distanced himself seeing Teto, who looked older than him, glaring at him.
"Teto, thank you......"
I felt like the gazes of the other boys and girls softened up when Teto returned to my side.
"Hmm......"
"What's the matter, Teto? Was the food not delicious?"
"Food was delicious but there are a lot of people who are giving Majou-sama rude gazes."
"Rude......?"
I wasn't mindful of my appearance that much but it seemed to me that I looked quite beautiful and was attracting the gazes of boys.
It's just, I kinda feel pity toward the boy who first talked to me and was overwhelmed by Teto's pressure.
"Majou-sama, have some self-awareness. You're beautiful."
"I wonder about that? Isn't that more suitable to describe Teto?"
The boys' gazes towards me softened up when Teto approached me. But in exchange, fervent gazes from aristocrat kids who looked to be the same age as Teto gathered on her.
Teto, a beauty with healthy light brown skin, a baby face, and huge boobs, was also popular because of her unusual appearance. That's why there were so many ardent gazes on her.
But I still couldn't feel like I'm that much of a beauty and just tilted my neck in wonder and waited for the event to start.
『一一His Majesty the King, and Her Highness Princess Seleneril have arrived!』
At last, Selene, today's star, entered the venue.
Selene, who always act spoiled to us in the «Empty Wilderness», was now walking gracefully with a smile on her face and her back straight一 probably the teachings of the royal palace一 while dressed in a beautiful gown.
I was so moved to see this image of Selene, whom I have raised since she was a child and now her height has even surpassed mine, that tears threatened to spill from my eyes.
"Let's make this evening, a day to remember. My missing daughter, Seleneril, has returned! Seleneril was saved from that heartrending event and was looked after and raised by an outstanding Saint even from the standard of the church! Let's celebrate the return of Seleneril and drink the night away!"
『『『一一Cheers!』』』
The King took the lead and began the event.
Selene, who probably had to make a round of greetings, smilingly greeted every individual participating in the party alongside the King.
"It still feels like this is all an illusion, she has grown into a splendid kid who won't embarrass herself no matter where she goes."
"Same-nanodesu. But it's also sad. There will not be such chances to eat these sorts of delicious food."
Teto gave a bitter smile while eating the party food she had piled on her plate.
And then, after she received the greetings from all the aristocrats around and when the general greeting was over, that happened.
