The Red Magus Roars Towards The Stars.
** Anastasia **
Anastasia’s eyes gazing at Reiji’s sleeping face contained fiery passion, but she had a gentle smile on her face.
(However… I can’t open up my feelings to you.)
What would happen if she entrusted herself to be carried away by those feelings?ーShe, a High Elf royalty sent as a “gift” to the Lev Magic Empire.
She understood her position.
That there would be consequences if she said “I want to become an adventurer and follow Reiji-san.”
These feelings must be hidden away.
However, her body was wrapped in a feeling of happiness.
(Because I thought it was my destiny to die quietly after hundreds of long years without ever experiencing this feeling… I am very happy right now.)
Anastasia looked to the sky.
The snake anemone had no more blood to shed and was quite wilted, but the sky was still dyed red like blood.
And then, dust-like particles fell from the skyーno, those were living things. Monsters were falling from the sky. The numbers were not in the tens or hundreds, but in thousands or even more than 10,000.
There were various types of monsters; winged monsters, animal-type monsters, mucous monsters, etc.
Anastasia didn’t know what that red sky was. Not a single clue.
Just that, she understood that they were enemies that brought harm to this world, and if she left them alone, they could hurt her loved one.
(Reiji-san, please rest up a little.)
As Anastasia saw it, since Reiji had used that huge magic spell, he cannot move for a while due to mana exhaustion. Then it would be best for him to sleep. He should wake up when his mana recovers a little.
When she laid Reiji’s head on the ground again, a small moaning voice was heard. Smile spread across Anastasia’s face without her realising.
She thought how adorable Reiji’s sleeping face and voice was. His body, mind, gestures, and everything about him made her heart flutter. She knew it was “love”. What Anastasia learned of “love” from books felt greatly different when it came to the actual experience.
(Right now, I feel like I can do anything.)
Anastasia stood up as if protecting Reiji. And she looked up at the red hole in the sky.
She removed the annoying and troublesome bandage. The bandage was blown and carried away by the wind.
Monster illuminated by red in the sky noticed the huge airship. With their eyes shining, they swooped down towards Anastasia and Reiji, as if thinking that their prey foolishly came outside—it wouldn’t be strange if they thought so.
「I will not let you lay a finger on this person.」
Anastasia said, and held up her arm. Violent torrent of flames burst forth from there.
A bird-shaped monster that resembled a raptor, but had a snake’s tail and was about 3 meters long, was bathed in the flames directly and was immediately carbonized and fell.
In the face of this sudden development, the monsters spread their wings and slowed down, as if sudden braking, but when the second, third, and fourth shots were fired, they were hit directly and charcoalised.
「W-W-W-What is that!? Is that Anastasia!?」
Saved by the soft crash landing, the ministers and the Emperor, protected by the airship soldiers, came out onto the vast deck of “Sky Harvest” to see what was going on.
Not a person knew that she could use magic, and that it was【Fire Magic】.
At the same time, they heard a singing voice that was not at all appropriate for the land where this terrible tragedy spread.
——Old Forest, Floating Oil, Burning Life, Like Flames
God descends, lives in the forest, gives eight-colored leaf, to man
——First the Tree God, then the Grass God, and finally the Flower God
Celebrate the forest, relieve the wind, pour down the rain, and invite the sun
This tale told in ancient Elven language is a chant which itself carries mana. This chant is managed by the High Elf royal family and sung in the right place, at the right time, and for the right purpose. Rather, it is a sworn secret that is not allowed to be sung by others.
Originally, through this song, it brought grace to the forest and erased the impurities. By nature, the High Elf royals were highly suitable for forest-nurturing magic such as【Flower Magic】, 【Wind Magic】,【Water Magic】, and【Earth Magic】.
The firefly-like flames that appeared around Anastasia quickly became larger, innumerable lights, and wrapped her.
Burning her clothes, burning some of her hair which stood upright, but the flow of mana extinguished the fire, leaving only burn marks.
Anastasia had always wanted to sing this song.
As a High Elf royalty—as a member of the family.
Anastasia was not allowed, however. It was beyond doubt that if she sang, the fire that the forest hates would rage.
(Now, however, I can sing. It is alright if I sing. I’m not afraid of the burns. I don’t mind if my hair, face, or body is hurt. If I can protect my loved one.)
She looked up at the sky.
An eerie sky dyed bloody red, the moon disappearing again, and only a small glimpse of the stars.
Wrapped in a huge encirclement of flames, Anastasia roared.
「Disappear!! All evil creatures that would hurt him!!」
The girl, who was born with a colossal amount of mana and was loved by the “flames” that was hated by the High Elf royal family, finally accepted her own powers and was able to use it correctly.
Controlling the mana, weaving the threads of magic, and walking the path of magic, a “Magus” was born in this moment.
The launched flames branched into several streams and flew like a dragon.
Even when monsters got caught in the flames, it burned them to charcoal and kept roaring to the sky.
The flames also spread to the wilted body of the snake anemone and burned like a pillar of hellfire.
When the flames stormed into the “red” in the sky, the flames spread like ripples from that point.
「T-That is the real… Anastasia… one who carries the High Elf royal blood!」
The Emperor heard Anastasia’s voice for the first time amidst the thunderous roar of the raging flames burning the sky.
A sharp voice that pierced through the great enemy of the Empire.
「Isn’t that what you call a “Warlock”, one who stands at the pinnacle of magic…」
Lev people cannot use skill orbs. Since the easy way of “using magic with skill orbs” was unavailable to them, technological innovation based on sorcery became their national policy.
That is why they didn’t know.
The true power of magic.
The true potential of a person.
The next thing the Emperor and the people on the deck of the “Harvest Sky” witnessed was a wondrous sight of cracks appearing in the red sky as if glass breaking, and then it shattered.
「…Uh.」
And at that very moment, the boy lying on the ground woke up with a small moan.
