I entered Rohakan’s vineyard, crossing through the jumbled world line with my mental power. It was a process that would’ve proved difficult if not for the Toughness acquired the other day.
“You came.”
Then I reached a hut in the vineyard. Blue sky and strong sunlight like summer radiated down upon Rohakan, who was waving his hand as he sat on the parquet floor.
“Come and sit down.”
He had an older face than when I killed him, though he still looked like a young man.
“Whoa… indeed. I see that you’ve changed a lot.”
I approached him.
“This is enough to teach you.”
Then, the class started. Rohakan did not need an introduction or unnecessary words.
“Look at this first.”
He first drew a magic formula in the air. It was a simple yet huge magic circle of a shape that was too familiar to me.
“This is your Psychokinesis, right?”
The Psychokinesis engraved on the body of my Iron Man. Rohakan understood it at a glance.
“Yes.”
“It’s crazy… to engrave an entire magic formula on your body. Didn’t it hurt?”
“It’s just pain.”
Rohakan smiled a little.
“Okay. You imprinted a magic formula on your body, exponentially amplifying the magic’s function, output, and efficiency. If it were an ordinary wizard, no, it’s a method that even most knights wouldn’t dare.”
Without the characteristic of Iron Man and my unique mental power, it would have been impossible in this world. It was a method that only Deculein could implement.
“Every time you cast a spell, the circuit will overheat. The heat could burn your blood vessels and cause death… in any case, being alive is proof that it’s okay.”
Then, Rohakan arbitrarily modified the Psychokinesis in the air. The form was vaguely curved as dozens of bizarre circuits started anew. As circuits were entangled, he drew more unidentifiable geometry. I looked at it with Understanding.
Rohakan asked.
“What do you think?”
“…It’s inefficient.”
“Is that so?”
Inefficient. The circuit that constituted the magic should be set as short as possible. Mana consumption should be kept as low as possible. Observing the above two principles, but producing the best possible output, to reach the most advanced.
“It looks cheap. It doesn’t have even one of the three factors.”
“Hahaha. Right. It may be for ordinary wizards. No, they don’t know. Sometimes ineffective magic is greater.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. This formula is not scientific; it’s not mathematical and not efficient. However, it is magical. It will be difficult for you to understand since you look at it with the standard of reason.”
I looked at the formula again. But no matter how much I looked at it, it was just chaos.
“Your Psychokinesis can move phenomenon.”
“Phenomenon.”
“Right. For example, controlling the particles floating in the air. Controlling energy, especially gravity.”
I nodded. I controlled particles and gravity with Psychokinesis. It was attractive and powerful-
“That’s a lower skill.”
Rohakan interrupted me. I turned to regard him.
“Deculein. The essence of Psychokinesis is the concept of controlling something.”
“…”
He was right. The official concept was controlling an object without physical contact.
“However, focus on that concept. When you control something, no one knows where the limit of that something lies.”
Rohakan smiled. I frowned slightly.
“Emotional bullshit about controlling people’s minds-“
“Hahaha. The human heart cannot be moved by any magic. But have you ever thought of this? The idea of being able to control all the dynamic and static things with your Psychokinesis. For example, the idea of being able to stop this whole world. The imagination of controlling the concept itself.”
“That’s impossible.”
I shook my head. Rohakan continued talking, clicking his tongue.
“Brat. Do you think that something is impossible with magic? The moment you are bound by an idea, growth stops. So, try to loosen up a bit.”
Splash-
A gourd of water spilled on my head. My wet hair tickled my eyebrows and flowed down.
“…”
“Hehehe. That’s right. Loosen up a bit just like that.”
“…”
“Heheh… ahem. Anyway.”
Rohakan’s expression turned serious again.
“This is the first teaching. Go back and make an effort to understand the formula I gave you.”
I stood. I had already stored the formula Rohakan gave me in my mind.
“Then I’ll be going.”
“…Okay. Well, be careful with the Voice. Now, it seems that the erosion is about to start.”
“Yes.”
I nodded. It wasn’t that surprising. The progress of the main quest, Voice, wasn’t yet in the expected category…
More importantly. As I walked down the road outside the vineyard, I recalled Rohakan’s words. The only teaching was this strange magic circle left in my head, and it was infinitely inefficient and complicated, so it’d probably take another half a year to engrave the whole thing into my body.
“It is worth thinking about.”
Just the knowledge and advice are given by Rohakan-
—Deculein! Take this!
Then, before I looked back, an old wooden staff flew through the air. I took it with one hand.
—I won’t use it anymore.
“…”
The item’s name was Murkan’s World Tree Staff. It was a great treasure. In a word, it was the strongest wand in this world. I looked at Rohakan.
—Take this with you.
The world tree staff held in one hand, and my original wand held in the other. Soon after, I understood Rohakan’s meaning and nodded.
“Yes. I will deliver it, but I don’t know if she will receive it.”
—…
The world’s strongest wand didn’t suit me. A wand of this size not only depended on the person’s talent but, above all else, it had a huge limitation of requiring Quality of Mana Level 2 or higher.
If it meant that you had to have at least Adrienne’s talent to be able to use it, and there was no way Rohakan could give Adrienne his staff, the one remaining was naturally…
Sophien.
—…Right. Even so, don’t tell her it was me. Tell her it’s a treasure.
“Yes. I will.”
Rohakan responded softly and waved his hand.
—See you again.
* * *
“You should’ve said you were a freshman.”
Another university cafe, Blue Melody. Yeriel smiled as she spoke to Ahan.
“…No. It was our negligence.”
“Negligence. If you are a freshman from another country, you may not know that it’s one drink per person. The classes haven’t even started yet. I thought you were in your second or third year.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“Huh. Is that the girl you serve?”
Yeriel pointed to the lawn near the cafe. Sophien, no, Soliet was there with some cats.
“By the way, where are those stray cats from?”
Soliet was standing indifferently with cats milling about her feet. It was a very strange sight. She was indifferent to a cat longing for affection. Wasn’t it usually the opposite?
“She’s cold. She could pet them at least once.”
“…Yes.”
It was when Yeriel took a sip of her coffee while glancing at Soliet-
—Ignore him.
She heard a deep voice from somewhere. Yeriel’s eyes went wide, and Ahan looked over.
“What did you just say?”
“No. I didn’t say anything. But, did you just hear it?”
“Yes. Ignore him…”
—No, I will ignore it. What should I do if he does something?
A voice echoed around them again. This time it was certain: it was Ihelm’s voice.
—Don’t worry. Kagan Luna is an asshole who can’t do anything. Leave him alone.
The answer came back in Deculein’s voice.
Yeriel, glancing around her, soon realized that the voice was coming from the table they were sitting at.
—Right. What is your sister doing these days? I heard she dropped out of college.
Again, Ihelm’s voice.
—I should have told you not to talk about her. It’s none of your business.
Judging from the youthful voices and the topic of the conversation, it seemed to be a conversation from a long time ago. Voices of the past.
“…What is this now?”
Yeriel swallowed, pretending to be calm.
“The erosion of the Voice.”
Yeriel looked back in surprise. Soliet was limping towards her.
“Erosion of the Voice?”
“Yes. It is a phenomenon where the voices of the past are mixed with the present. In this place, conversations between people from the past are sifted through.”
“…How do you know that?”
Doubt was a virtue for Yeriel, so her gaze narrowed for a moment. Soliet grinned.
“These reverberations and echoes will continue for quite some time.”
“And how do you know?”
“That’s…”
However, her laid-back face hardened at the next words.
—Oh right. Deculein. Are you going to visit the princess this time? I heard that there would be a banquet.
—Why would I? It’s not an obligation.
—Why? It won’t do any harm to meet her. Let her know your face.
—There are rumors that she has a vicious and ferocious personality. Also, I am a Yukline. If I attend it, gossip will spread, and if I do not attend, gossip will spread about my not attending…
That was the last word. The Erosion ceased.
“How did you know? I heard you’re in business administration.”
Yeriel asked for the third time. To her frustration, Soliet only held out her hand.
“It was nice to meet you. We will have a chance to meet again.”
“…Huh? Oh… yeah.”
Yeriel shook it, dazed. Without knowing, she was shaking hands with the Emperor.
“Then, I’ll be going.”
Soliet turned around with Ahan. As they walked away, Ahan asked in a low voice.
“I’m sorry, Miss. Is the erosion you said just now true…?”
“It is true. It is the work of the demon, made up of the concept of the Voice.”
“…”
She looked as if she couldn’t believe it.
“Ahan. Ask the intelligence service to investigate Deculein’s past.”
“…Yes?”
Ahan blinked at the sudden command, but soon, she smiled a little.
“Aha, ~,”
And then she nodded as if she understood.
“Even if you say that, were you heartbroken by his visit to the vineyard…?”
“Did you go nuts?”
“I’m sorry.”
“…If I doubt, it will be good for Deculein.”
She said she would allow Deculein’s visit to the vineyards, but she needed to pretend to be suspicious. Otherwise, the eunuchs and servants would run wild begging her, ‘Please interrogate Deculein’s intentions.’
“And… I guess I’m curious. About Deculein’s past.”
She’s never been curious about anyone’s history. But she was becoming curious, at least, about Deculein’s. Of course, it wasn’t because of their recent interaction.
“Do you understand?”
“Yes. I will do it as soon as I get back.”
“And.”
Sophien looked at Ahan again. For some reason, she wore a mischievous smile.
“After Gefrid… I think it’s time to fill the vacancy of the guardian knight of the empire.”
* * *
I returned to the tower late at night. Epherene fell asleep as soon as I arrived, having been waiting in my office.
Snore— Snore—
She put a pillow on the desk and fell asleep, but something was weird. Right now, the bizarre death variable that she emanated the other day kept coming to mind. However, there was no way she could beat me in a state where I was in perfect condition.
…Not yet.
Scratch— Scratch—
I took notes on the formula Rohakan taught me. As I scribbled them, I recalled his words to make the whole world stop. Thinking about the essential concept of Psychokinesis-
“Haaaahm—!”
—The sound of an elephant’s trumpet interrupted my thoughts. When I looked out the window, it was already morning, and my notes were filled with Rohakan’s formulas.
“Haaaahm…”
Epherene looked at her watch, yawning. Then she spoke with a very dissatisfied face.
“Professor. At the Roteo Pavilion tonight, there will be a briefing on the entrance exam or something like that, you know that, right?”
“I know.”
“…Did your business go well?”
“Yeah.”
I stood. Epherene looked up at me, stretching her neck and shoulders.
“Oh, by the way, Professor. When you go outside, can’t you just take me with you? I can’t sleep, no. Are you doing that on purpose? Right? You intentionally harass me-“
“Deliver this letter to the Imperial Palace. I have a present for Her Majesty.”
Epherene stopped breathing and grew nervous.
“…T-Today? To the Imperial Palace?”
She feared the Imperial Palace more than necessary.
“Yes.”
Today was Wednesday, the day of our lessons. However, prior reports were required for items to be brought to the Imperial Palace.
“…Y-Y-Yes. First, I-I will deliver that letter. Oh. And… here is today’s newspaper.”
Epherene handed over the newspaper the Journal. The headline was announcing the omens of a full-fledged demon.
—[A dead person floating in the middle of the road, or a voice from the past. Is this the beginning of another disaster? Or is it an ordinary magical phenomenon?]
…
In the northernmost point of the Empire, Reccordak.
Julie put down the newspaper she was reading. Sylvia met her with a shrug.
“It’s the aftermath of the Voice.”
There was a medal on her chest, and her complexion was quite good. It was thanks to Deculein leaving the North.
“Yeah. The Voice is trying to assimilate with this world.”
“There is no direct damage yet, but it must be dealt with before damage occurs.”
“Yeah.”
She grew used to Sylvia’s short answers. The same was true of her strangely hostile tone.
“…”
Julie wore a thoughtful expression for a moment. After Deculein left, she continued to make modest progress in Reccordak. She became a famous player, and numerous knights from the North were visiting to compete with her in pure swordsmanship.
In all those fights, Julie’s record was 99 wins and 0 losses. She never lost. Since then news of Julie’s awakening had spread further south.
“Knight Julie!”
The door swung open, and a shout rang out. Sylvia stared at her as if she had no dignity, and Julie blinked.
“Reylie, what’s going on?”
“H-Her Majesty the Emperor!”
“Her Majesty the Emperor?!”
As soon as she heard those words, she straightened up. Her knees pounded on the desk, and all her writing instruments were knocked off, but she didn’t care. She placed her right hand over her heart and looked at Reylie.
Thump- Thump-
“She has invited you!”
“Me?!”
“Yes!”
“The reason? I wonder if she needs my strength with this wave of the Voice!”
“I don’t know about that, but what are you doing? Come on, pack your bags! This is the opportunity of a lifetime! You don’t even need to know why!”
“I get it!”
Julie, dressed in tiger skin armor, grabbed the bag scattered around the corner of her office.
“Hurry! Hurry! With formal attire! And, oh! A present for Her Majesty!”
“Okay!”
“I don’t know if there will be a ball, so take other clothes besides armor!”
“I don’t have other clothes! What should I do?!”
“Gosh! Then get some! Do you have any money?!”
“Okay! Let’s do it! How much should I take?”
“Everything you have! You should buy the best one! You need accessories too!”
“W-Wouldn’t it be better to save as much money as possible? In stock-“
“Seriously! Knight! Wake up!”
“Okay!”
Sylvia watched the two people rushing to pack their belongings as if they were a little pathetic.
