I was drawing a magic circle underground. However, the Giant Magic we were attempting to realize was lacking even with Understanding, so there were many obstacles. There were also many worries, countless ideas tangled and twisted in my head. Maybe it was because it was something I was doing, but not something I would complete.
Or was it because even I, after all, couldn’t be completely free from a predetermined death?
“…They’re gone.”
Arlos said with her ear to the ceiling. I looked at her and beckoned.
“Then come and sit down.”
“Why.”
“When I see you, I think of magic. A magical inspiration.”
“…”
Then Arlos glanced at the paper I was writing on with dissatisfaction.
“What are you doing with that little piece of paper?”
“It is a very small part of the magic circle. This spell cannot be completed until more than 100,000 copies of these are gathered.”
Simply put, it was a puzzle. Of course, there was no need for hundreds of thousands if I used magic papers from the market, but these were ordinary papers obtained through brass coins.
“The magic circle is dotted with all kinds of formulas when you look at it up close, but when you look at it from afar, it’s just a piece of art. Lines and circles form a circuit, and mana flows and harmonizes. It’s not that different from painting a canvas.”
“…I know magic.”
“Indeed. You must have had a magic teacher, too.”
Arlos flinched. Then, she shook her head while coughing.
“I am self-taught.”
“Puppetry is not something you can learn and bloom on your own. Especially in the Ashes.”
“But I could.”
I already knew who Arlos’s teacher was; I didn’t need to ask. It was Adrienne in the setting, and that was likely to be the case now. Adrienne would be in trouble if it were revealed, so she must be keeping her mouth shut. I took a piece of paper out of my pocket.
“Take it.”
“What now… a contract?”
Arlos’s eyes narrowed. She swung the contract with two fingers as if asking for an explanation.
“When I die, you can give this to the next me. He will realize it on his own.”
It was an employment contract stating the obligatory matters, with Sylvia’s signature and mine on it. It would serve as a kind of milestone for the next me. Arlos nodded but stiffened at one clause.
“What does this third paragraph mean? You teach Sylvia magic.”
“Just like it’s written. I will help Sylvia perfect the Voice.”
“…”
Arlos crossed her arms silently. It seemed she was thinking about my intentions.
“It’s a bet.”
“Bet?”
“Her magic or mine, who will finish first. The losing side will step back without any regrets.”
“…Isn’t that dangerous? If that woman completes it first, we’ll be fucked.”
Arlos shook her head.
“It’s a bit of an embarrassing shortcut.”
Crack-
The pencil I used to draw the magic circle suddenly broke. Arlos’s gaze reached my hand.
“I’ll never lose.”
“…The reason is?”
“It’s because the more Sylvia’s magic develops, the more I become like me.”
“…”
Arlos didn’t seem to understand, and that was natural, but Deculein was an existence that couldn’t be imitated with magic. No one in this world possessed the mental power to imitate Deculein. Nevertheless, the reason Sylvia had implemented me to this extent now was probably because of the permission that I had given to her from the other side of the sea.
“If it’s me who’s more like me, I will destroy the Voice whether Sylvia completes magic first or not.”
“Destroy? Even if it’s a contract?”
“A contract with a demon doesn’t count.”
“…”
Breaking the contract would be normal. No matter how much Deculein was mixed with Kim Woojin, if the target were Sylvia, who borrowed the power of the demon, she would be mercilessly destroyed.
I turned to Arlos.
“As you know, I am still imperfect. I think and move like Deculein, but I lack something, and I will die in the end.”
Perhaps now, the existence of me was closer to Kim Woojin than Deculein. Even though this was from my personality, I was fascinated by Arlos’s beauty and felt compassion for Sylvia enough to make my heart flutter.
“Arlos. If you meet the original me, be careful.”
I was reflected in Arlos’s mysterious eyes. They were clear and calm, like a secret lake in a forest. Indeed, that appearance was suitable to Deculein.
“Although I am content to appreciate you and be inspired.”
I slowly placed my hand on Arlos’s cheek. I gently caressed her as if I was dealing with a treasure. She flinched but did not resist.
“…He may try to stuff you.”
In terms of art, Arlos was perfect. Her characteristic was extraordinary, and that was why it was a very good find for Deculein.
“It’s rare to find art that inspires one endlessly just by looking at it.”
“Enough. My ears are going to explode from your praise.”
“I hope that you do not die or have to suffer unhappiness.”
“…”
Speaking seriously, I tucked Arlos’s hair behind her ear. She flinched and averted her gaze, pulling her neck back like a turtle.
“Unfortunate art has its value, but once it withers and disappears, it cannot be seen for long.”
I calmly pulled my hand back. Arlos let out a light breath, and I advised her in a low voice.
“Till then, make the doll. A doll to face the real me who will one day arrive. And hide your main body.”
Arlos’s simple setting was a villain who cooperated with the Altar, and Deculein knew it too. If she lost her usefulness, or if Arlos showed signs of betrayal, she would be killed. If the dark energy hidden behind the Voice violently urged him, the danger would increase exponentially.
“It will be fine to pass by or meet very briefly, but don’t look for too long or stick close to me.”
Arlos listened quietly. For some reason, I felt I had to warn her.
“It is very regrettable that the original me cannot meet the art that you are, but there is nothing I can do about it. If you want to last long.”
“Last? I am human. Not art.”
Arlos’s mouth twitched.
“Right. You are human. But why do you hate yourself and hide behind the puppets?”
“…”
With that, she was speechless. Even that was mysterious. Every moment her expression changed was as beautiful as Da Vinci’s masterpiece.
“Maybe, you are already stuffed. Until you break free from that self-hatred, I will be your death variable.”
“…Death variable?”
If it was the Arlos without self-respect, Deculein might be willing to take her as a statue. Humans who hate themselves had a lower value than any other artwork. However, if it was the Arlos who acknowledged herself, Deculein might keep her alive. As Arlos said, he might try to keep her by his side as a human rather than a piece of art.
“Let’s stop chatting.”
“Huh? It’s you, Professor, who spoke first.”
I was again absorbed in the magic design.
Crack-!
But not long after, my pencil broke again. This was due to my incomplete power control. Arlos asked:
“Is that proof that you are dying?”
I nodded. The longer I existed, the more I used my mana, the more I would break. Even if someone didn’t kill me, I would last only about a week.
“I see.”
Arlos went silent for a moment. Looking at me and looking at the magic circle I was drawing.
“…Professor.”
She spoke low.
“You are a rare species to find even in the Ashes.”
“Shut up. Even if it’s you, you can’t compare me to a pile of low-level garbage.”
“…”
Gosh. Arlos shook her head.
* * *
The next day, I visited Sylvia at 3 PM, the same as yesterday.
“Today will be the fairy language class after checking the circuit of your magic theory.”
“…”
Silvia nodded without a word. From her expression to her gestures, she had a very cheeky attitude, so I flicked her forehead.
Flick-!
“…”
Sylvia, ambushed, blankly looked up at me. It was like she was slowly thinking about what had just happened.
“…Ouch.”
She let out the nose belatedly and rubbed her forehead.
“Physical punishment is not worthy of dignity, but if you behave like that, there is nothing I can do about it. Sit down.”
I put the prepared materials on her desk. Sylvia sat with a sullen face as if she thought it was unfair. And then she grumbled-
“My skull almost broke.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“I’m not lying. My head hurts. You intended to kill me, right?”
I looked at Sylvia’s forehead and was startled: it was swollen. That was also a power control issue.
“…So always keep a respectful and dignified manner. Protect the body of the nobility.”
“Why-“
“First of all, part three of your theory is mostly wrong.”
I pointed to a certain circuit of the formula Sylvia had written. The core circuit twisted like a knot, with thirteen straight lines forming an individual part.
“It’s different.”
Sylvia objected.
“No. It’s wrong.”
“There is nothing wrong with that magic.”
“It’s wrong.”
“…You’re keeping me in check, right? To win the bet.”
At Sylvia’s words, I pretended to prepare another flick. She shook her body and jumped up, clinging to the wall.
“I don’t do anything unscrupulous such as keeping someone in check. Remember this. In the world of magic, there are no right answers, but there are wrong answers. Inefficiency is wrong.”
“…”
Sylvia stared at my middle finger and thumb and shut her mouth. I guess it really did hurt.
“Answer me.”
“…All right.”
Only then did I pull my hand away, and Sylvia sat back down next to me.
“Let’s start. It seems like you have to learn humility again, but…”
* * *
The next day, exactly three in the afternoon. I visited Sylvia’s house as a tutor. However, today’s Sylvia was wearing something different from yesterday’s attire.
“I’m here.”
Yesterday she wore the plainclothes of ordinary noble girls. Today was a dress with more laces, a little more lively and bright.
“Today, after teaching magic circuits, it’s fairy-language writing. Of course, you revised it, right?”
“…I did.”
She was readily answering as if scared of physical punishment. Of course, I didn’t like the way she talked, but it would be right to correct one thing at a time without being hasty.
“Sit down.”
“Yeah?”
She came and sat down to show the magic circuit she modified. I looked over it thoroughly.
“…It’s good.”
Then I nodded with satisfaction. It clearly showed Sylvia’s magical talent.
“…”
Sylvia didn’t say anything but clenched her fist, which she hid under the desk. She was so cute that a corner of my lips rose. For a moment, Sylvia’s eyes went wide.
“Oh, you smiled.”
“…Don’t let your guard down.”
She cleared her expression.
“Lessons on circuit efficiency are easy. Anyone can understand that. The problem is to optimally match the compatibility between circuits. Magical accidents usually happen when you try to force an incompatible circuit…”
I resumed the class without delay, but Sylvia’s expression was weird for some reason. She seemed happier now.
…
The next day, and the next day, and the next day, and the next day, and the next day. At the same time, every day, I visited Sylvia. At the same time, every day, Sylvia’s outfit changed.
On the first day, it was a monochromatic dress, but as the days passed, a pattern and one accessory were added to the clothes, and now she wore a lively and refreshing set suitable for social circles around her age. Of course, her magical abilities also developed rapidly. Sylvia absorbed what I taught her like a sponge, and she moved on to applying it quickly.
Just as expected from a candidate for an archmage, but she wasn’t perfect either.
“There is a reason why the fairy language is so difficult to learn. Even you scored only 50 points.”
“…”
Sylvia bowed her head, gloomy. She did well on the magic note test, but she was defeated by fairy dictation.
“It’s hard.”
“There is nothing to rush. After all, you have more time than me.”
“…”
Then, Sylvia looked up at me again. She seemed to have something she wanted to ask.
“Any questions?”
She nodded. I answered while organizing the class materials.
“Ask.”
“It’s not about class.”
“It’s okay.”
“Aren’t you scared?”
It was hard to tell if it was a question or self-talk, but I was used to it now. I asked back:
“Is there anything to be afraid of?”
“You’re going to die.”
Dying. As she said, my life was short now. Since I was a painting, I would sublimate into paint when my life was over. That, for me, was death.
“…Well.”
I turned to Sylvia. She looked at me with expressionless eyes.
“I die. The next me dies. And then the next. And even if the next me dies, there is no need to be afraid because the purpose is one in the end.”
I didn’t need to be scared. Yes, there was just no need to be scared.
“By the way, Sylvia.”
“Yes?”
She responded calmly. She was concerned about me, but she didn’t know what was important. So, I felt sorry for her.
“Let me ask you.”
Sylvia tilted her face with an innocent look. Her appearance and reaction were markedly different from when we first met.
“I do not need to fear my death.”
Suddenly, Sylvia’s face turned cold. As if she already knew what I was trying to say.
“But are you okay?”
“…”
“When I die, I’ll just die, but the next me, who you’ll resurrect…”
I put down my pencil.
“He’ll forget all these memories.”
Tick-
Tock-
Time passed on and disappeared. Of the two hours of today’s lesson, the remaining 53 seconds hurried by.
“Even if I continue this lesson next time…”
Sylvia looked at me, meeting my eyes. I looked back and asked.
“Sylvia… can you be okay with that parting?”
