Chapter 3: Aurora Magic Academy
"Listen, Shinya. Don't you forget that while we're at the academy, you are my butler and bodyguard," Alphiria reminded me sternly. "You need to behave with proper decorum in the classroom. Make sure you don't commit any blunders, under any circumstances."
"You don't need to tell me over and over. I get it," I replied. "I'm the faithful familiar of Alphiria Glastonbury. Though for official purposes, I'm a butler, of course."
We walked side by side down the hallway, bathed in the sunlight streaming through the windows. Beside me, Alphiria maintained a dignified, composed expression.
Truth be told, things had felt off since the moment I woke up this morning. After the chaos and accidental mishap with her fresh out of the bath last night, I'd prepared myself to be given the silent treatment—or worse, thrown out of the room entirely. But to my utter surprise, she had woken up humming in high spirits and had even treated me to a lavish breakfast.
"Though come to think of it, do I really need to attend classes with you?" I asked.
"Headmistress Ortea was the one who decided it," Alphiria noted coolly. "Neither of us has a say in the matter."
"I know that, but... are you sure this is okay, in more ways than one?" I asked hesitantly.
"...Well, it's not like you're going to die," she said with a shrug. "You might draw a bit of jealousy, but there's no need to pay it any mind."
Don't say something so ominous, I thought, shooting her a silent glare of protest, but Alphiria remained completely unbothered. Which basically implies something life-threatening could happen! Incidentally, my enrollment had been proposed by Headmistress Ortea herself. At first, Alphiria had balked at the idea, but...
"Is that so? Then how about I look after Shinya while Alphiria is in class? We could indulge in a few private lessons with the headmistress..."
The moment Ortea purred those words while licking her lips, my enrollment was sealed on the spot. I kept it a secret, however, that my heart had throbbed with eager anticipation at the headmistress's proposal.
"Besides, why bring this up now?" Alphiria scoffed, shooting me a playful look. "You were looking forward to it until yesterday. Don't tell me you've gotten cold feet?"
"It's not that..." I mumbled, scratching my cheek. "It's just that the cold stares are a bit harsher than I expected."
I glanced around nervously as I spoke. Unlike yesterday when the school was empty during the break, the campus was already bustling with activity this morning. While some students chatted happily among themselves, the vast majority were casting sharp glances in my direction. Showered with curiosity, envy, jealousy, and outright murder, my mental fortitude was already hanging by a thread.
"Who's that guy walking next to Lady Alphiria?"
"His face is... acceptable, I guess. But he's completely out of his depth walking beside Lady Alphiria."
"Rumor has it he's her newly hired bodyguard and butler."
"I'm so jealous he gets to stand beside Lady Alphiria... I'll kill him."
"Pay them no mind," Alphiria advised calmly. "Just carry yourself with confidence."
She spoke with utter nonchalance, but being the sole target of all this hostility was unbearable for me. If this kept up, listening to lectures would be the least of my worries.
According to Headmistress Ortea, Alphiria's reputation at Aurora Magic Academy was far beyond that of a mere honor student. Possessing affinity for all six fundamental attributes—Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, and Dark—she had earned the title of "The Arc-Flame Witch." A prodigy beloved by the stars who had mastered high-tier magic by the age of ten, she was the crown jewel of the Glastonbury family, destined to become a legendary archmage.
Furthermore, her looks and figure were divine blessings in their own right, making her a peerless beauty who turned every single head she passed. Far beyond an unattainable flower on a high peak, she was like a shining star in the night sky—an elusive moon reflected on water. A sacred portrait untouched and untouchable by mortal hands. That was how the world viewed Alphiria Glastonbury.
When I first heard all this praise, I thought it was an exaggeration. To me, she was just a girl my age who, despite her immense talent, had her clumsy moments and a cute tsundere side. But judging from the oppressive atmosphere around us, I realized I needed to adjust my perception.
As I mulled over these thoughts, I opened the classroom door, only for a barrage of curious stares to pierce straight through me. Amidst the tense atmosphere, a striking beauty strolled over to us.
"Well, well, what a surprise," a smooth voice greeted us. "I didn't think I'd actually see the day Aria walked around with a guy."
My gaze was involuntarily drawn to the woman speaking. She had blue-silver hair styled into a casual wolf cut and possessed an androgyously handsome face. Yet in stark contrast to her refined facial features, her body curves were almost outrageously feminine.
Her voluptuous bust threatened to pop the buttons off her uniform, straining against the fabric. The dramatic contrast between her full chest and slender waist testified to her breathtaking figure.
"Ugh... Cyril," Alphiria grimaced, making no effort to hide her annoyance.
Alphiria twisted her face in open dismay at the arrival of her friend.
"Now that's a rude greeting, Aria," the silver-haired beauty remarked with a smirk. "Well, whatever. More importantly, Aria, what's your relationship with him? Don't tell me he's your lover? Or perhaps your fiancé?"
"Do tell~," the beauty pressed, leaning closer. In response, Alphiria let out a heavy sigh and slumped her shoulders in resignation.
"Stop making wild assumptions, Cyril," Alphiria snapped curtly. "He is my bodyguard and butler. He's not my lover, and most certainly not my fiancé."
Alphiria's denial sounded as cold as ice, though I detected a subtle edge of flustered panic in her voice.
"A bodyguard for Aria, huh...?" Cyril hummed thoughtfully. "Though I barely detect any mana coming from him at all."
Just who are you? her amused expression seemed to ask as the silver-haired beauty slid her face right up to mine. A refreshing citrus scent hit my nostrils, and the soft sensation of her chest pressed against me. I caught my breath, swallowing hard.
"Cyril," Alphiria interjected sternly. "Isn't it proper manners to introduce yourself before asking for someone else's name?"
"Heh-heh. Fair enough," Cyril chuckled smoothly. "I'm Cyril Felix. Aria's childhood friend and best pal. Nice to meet you, Mr. Butler."
Cyril stared intently at me, clearly enjoying my flustered state. Feeling my cheeks flush warm, I tried my best to maintain composure as I offered a polite greeting.
"I'm Shinya Nanatsuma. It's a pleasure to meet you too, Lady Cyril," I replied.
"No need for honorifics or formal speech," Cyril said with a playful wave of her hand. "After all, we're classmates! Just call me Cyril."
"...Alright then, Cyril," I agreed.
"Good boy," she beamed. "Now then, a quick question for you, Shinya. Isn't Aria an absolute pain to deal with?"
"...Huh?" I blinked in confusion.
"Hey! Cyril!" Alphiria chimed in sharply. "What kind of ridiculous question is that?!"
I was taken aback by how nonchalantly Cyril badmouthed her right in front of her face. Alphiria glared at her with indignant, half-lidded eyes, but Cyril paid her no mind and pressed on.
"Aria can be super high-maintenance, right?" Cyril asked, grinning. "Is she working you to the bone?"
"W-Well... not really... I think?" I answered hesitantly.
"Shinya! Why are you phrasing that like a question?!" Alphiria protested, puffing out her cheeks. "State clearly that she doesn't!"
"Everyone at the academy calls her 'The Inviolable Beauty,' but under that facade, she's actually a total crybaby, gets depressed easily, and gets super lonely..." Cyril exposed casually.
"Say, Cyril?" Alphiria interrupted, her tone dropping an octave. "Are you looking for a fight? Because I'd gladly step outside and settle this right now."
Alphiria wore a strained smile as a vein throbbed on her temple, her clenched fists trembling with rage. Cyril, completely accustomed to this reaction, feigned ignorance. Now then, as her familiar, what was the correct move for me to make here...?
"Ah... Well, it's true that Aria can be quite lonely at times," I admitted thoughtfully.
"...Huh?" Cyril blinked, dumbfounded.
The moment I agreed, Cyril's mischievous smirk melted into utter bewilderment, and the noisy classroom plunged into dead silence. Looking beside me, Alphiria stood frozen, bright red all the way to the tips of her ears. The prodigy of the prestigious Glastonbury House was completely boiled red. Speechless at my casual revelation, the surrounding students could only gape.
"...Pfft... Ahahaha!" Cyril burst out, slamming her hand on her desk as she cackled merrily. "Oh, you are magnificent!"
Alone in the room, Cyril doubled over with laughter, repeatedly slapping her desk. Once her laughter finally subsided, she leaned close to my ear and whispered softly.
"Hey, Mr. Butler. Why don't you come work for me instead?" Cyril purred smoothly. "It must be tough being ordered around by Aria, right? And despite everything, she's so naive and timid in romance."
"H-Haha..." I stammered weakly.
Calling Alphiria timid in romance has got to be a lie, I kept that thought firmly to myself.
"If you come to my side, you'll have an easy life," Cyril teased gently. "And as for your reward... I could even give you a few very stimulating perks if you ask nicely."
"W-Whoa!" I blurted out, recoiling. "What are you doing all of a sudden?!"
As she blew a warm, sweet breath against my ear, I leaped backward in surprise. Cyril flashed a seductive grin, watching my flustered reaction with delight.
Her carefree, provocative charm—completely different from both Alphiria's and Headmistress Ortea's—sent my heart rate spiking. While I knew full well she was just teasing me, considering what Alphiria and I had actually been doing, it was honestly no laughing matter for us.
"...Cyril," Alphiria warned, stepping between us. "If you continue flirting with my butler, I will gladly face you in battle as the next head of the Glastonbury family."
Alphiria cut in to shield me from my confusion, though her voice was terrifyingly icy, laced with an aura closely resembling murderous intent.
"Ufufu. Dueling you sounds fun, Aria, but I think I'll make a graceful retreat for now," Cyril giggled smoothly. "Catch you later, Mr. Butler."
Showing not an ounce of remorse, Cyril shot me a cheerful wink before sauntering back to her seat. I was left sweating cold drops, enduring the silent, terrifying pressure from Alphiria sitting beside me that clearly signaled We are having a long talk after this, as I nervously awaited the start of class.
＊＊＊＊＊
Back in my original world, I used to read light novels and manga like any ordinary guy. Naturally, I came across plenty of stories where the protagonist got summoned or reincarnated into a world of swords and magic. And without fail, there was always one staple cliché—
"Class, did you all enjoy your extended break?" a stern voice rang out.
The middle-aged man standing at the podium—a professor named Eldoar Wagner—exuded an austere aura as he addressed the students in an emotionless tone.
The atmosphere in the classroom instantly turned razor-sharp, the lively cheerfulness from moments ago vanishing as if it were a lie, replaced by suffocating tension. Except for a certain outlier—Cyril, who was waving happily at him.
"Now then, regarding today's class, we will alter the schedule to conduct a mana assessment," Eldoar announced coldly. "Those fools who slackened off and neglected their training during the break had best prepare themselves."
I could have sworn I heard someone swallow hard in terror. A few students were even holding their heads in despair. Seeing that students in this world also slacked off during long vacations gave me a weird sense of relief.
"We shall begin with the measurement of mana capacity," Professor Eldoar stated.
As a massive crystal was brought into the classroom, I let out a soft sigh of awe. The ultimate classic trope of being summoned to another world was the mana assessment. You measure your power, shatter the crystal into pieces, and hit them with the classic "Oops, did I do something wrong?" routine.
"...Are you going to be okay, Aria?" I whispered nervously.
"What will be, will be," Alphiria replied flatly. "Just give up on hoping for a miracle."
Man, how awesome would it be if I could actually get hyped about that? Unfortunately, I possessed neither cheat skills nor the massive mana reserves of a manga protagonist. In fact, quite the opposite—my mana level was so abysmal it practically branded me a hopeless failure.
Placing a hand over my chest, I recalled the fundamental lesson Alphiria had drilled into me regarding What makes a mage.
"There are several factors that determine a mage's caliber, but the simplest one is mana capacity," she had explained. "The larger your pool, the more magic you can cast, making you an exceptional mage."
It was just like in video games. For characters who fought primarily with magic, a higher MP pool allowed them to spam powerful spells continuously, making them overwhelmingly strong.
"Shinya, your base mana capacity is utter trash," she had declared bluntly. "It's so pathetically small it actually makes me feel sorry for you."
Her brutally harsh assessment had almost brought tears to my eyes.
According to Alphiria, the average mage had a mana capacity of around 20. An elite mage clocked in at 100. And to even qualify for the entrance exam of the royal family's top-tier elite force, the Hexa Zenith, a staggering rating of 1,000 or higher was required.
She mentioned that while mana capacity could be increased to some extent through training, there was a limit. Furthermore, unlike in games, having low mana didn't automatically make someone weak.
Be that as it may, when Alphiria tested me using her portable appraisal tool, my mana capacity turned out to be a shocking 5. Apparently, that was on par with a newborn infant. For comparison, Alphiria's current mana rating was 100. When I praised her for already stepping into elite territory while still a student, she had snapped back:
"Don't be ridiculous! Before summoning you, my mana capacity was 500! Compared to that, my current self is practically a failure!"
As she let out a massive sigh of frustration, I kept it to myself that I wanted to cry even more. If you're a failure, then what does that make me?!
"---Taron Muramor. Step forward," Professor Eldoar called out.
While I was lost in thought, the mana testing had been proceeding smoothly. The students who had completed their turn displayed a mixture of joy and despair—some beaming with pride, others slumped in gloom. Amidst them all, the male student called Taron stepped up to the crystal with supreme confidence. The moment he touched it, a dazzling light erupted, displaying his rating in the air.
"Hmm... 86, is it?" Eldoar noted approvingly. "An improvement since last time. Keep up the good work."
"Naturally, Professor," Taron replied smugly, puffing out his chest. "I devoted my break entirely to refining my skills."
This guy Taron strutted proudly at Professor Eldoar's praise. Working hard over the break, huh? Impressive. If it were me, I'd definitely slack off and pay the price later. Just as I was silently sending him my respect, for some reason he turned his eyes toward me and shot me a fierce glare.
"My condolences," Cyril purred slyly. "You've been officially categorized as an enemy."
"Don't say such unsettling things, Cyril," I protested, bewildered. "What did I ever do to him?"
As I expressed my confusion, Cyril sauntered over to my side with a mischievous smirk. Alphiria, completely uninterested, rested her chin on her hand and let out a small yawn.
"Taron is head over heels for Aria," Cyril revealed playfully. "He's skipped confession and straight-up proposed to her more than once or twice."
"No matter how many times I turn him down, he just won't give up," Alphiria grumbled, annoyance lacing her voice. "It's not like I care about looks or family status, but..."
I couldn't speak for his family background, but judging by his features, he was undoubtedly handsome even from a guy's perspective.
"Then what's the issue?" I asked.
"His personality," Alphiria stated bluntly. "I can't stand overly full-of-themselves guys."
"Oh, I think a bit of bravado suits a guy nicely," Cyril chimed in with a grin. "Though to be fair, I'm not particularly fond of him either."
Poor Taron. Rejected by two girls behind his back without even knowing it. I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for him, pressing my hands together in a silent prayer for his soul.
"Next... Cyril Felix. Step forward," Professor Eldoar called out.
"Wish me luck, Shinya," Cyril said with a playful wink.
She rose gracefully from her seat, flashing a dazzling wink that made every gesture look effortlessly glamorous. Beautiful women really were dangerous.
"Hurry it up. You're holding up the line," Alphiria grumbled coldly.
"My, getting so worked up over a little flirting doesn't suit you at all, Aria," Cyril teased, her voice dripping with mock concern. "Jealous girls aren't very popular, you know?"
"...I will literally knock you into next week," Alphiria threatened softly, her eyes narrowing.
Both of them were smiling, but the underlying tension was explosive enough to make me want to bolt from the room. To the rest of the class, however, I probably looked like a lucky bastard surrounded by flowers in both hands. The murderous glares directed at me from guys and girls alike were enough to bring tears to my eyes.
"...I'll kill him," a quiet, sinister whisper drifted over.
I was fairly certain a certain Taron Muramor had just muttered something alarming, but I made a conscious effort to pretend I hadn't heard a thing. Meanwhile, Cyril stepped up to the podium and placed her hands on the crystal for her measurement.
"A mana capacity of 560... Impressive work as expected, Cyril Felix," Instructor Eldoar remarked, raising an eyebrow. "That's nearly one and a half times your previous record."
"I dislike staying on the losing side," Cyril replied coolly.
Instructor Eldoar gave a weary shrug at her nonchalant answer. Meanwhile, Taron, who had just posted a score teetering on the edge of first-rate moments ago, looked as if he had swallowed a bitter bug.
"Tee-hee. What do you think? Not too shabby, right?" Cyril giggled, skipping back toward our desks with her generous bust swaying noticeably.
Like a child bragging about a high score on an exam, she settled into her seat and crossed her shapely legs, showing off her luscious thighs without a hint of hesitation. The moment I instinctively averted my eyes, a sharp kick struck my shin under the desk. There was no need to guess who the culprit was.
"Next, Alphiria Glastonbury!" Instructor Eldoar announced.
"Here," Alphiria replied crisply.
As Alphiria rose smoothly from her chair, a blanket of heavy silence fell over the classroom. The star performer had finally arrived. She glided toward the crystal with the gallant elegance of a lead actress taking center stage. While the rest of the class held their breath in anticipation of her result, I was sweating bullets for a completely different reason.
The audible gulp of someone swallowing spit echoed in the quiet room. A split second later, a deafening roar shook the very air as magic of six distinct colors erupted from the crystal. When the swirling light settled, the numerical display read an astounding—800.
"W-What... in the world...?" Instructor Eldoar stammered, completely lost for words.
The unthinkable number left the instructor utterly speechless. Cyril covered her face, chuckling as she looked up at the ceiling, while Taron and the rest of the students stood frozen in sheer disbelief.
"Sigh... You truly are beyond any normal standard, Alphiria Glastonbury," Instructor Eldoar said, shaking his head. "Your previous score of 500 was absurd enough, but for a student to possess this much mana is downright abnormal."
"Your praise honors me, Instructor," Alphiria replied modestly, bowing her head with perfect poise.
She bowed lightly with a composure more humble than anyone else's before making her way back. Shifting from the lead star of a play to a triumphant monarch returning to her domain, her march drew spontaneous applause from the entire room. Amidst the ovation, I quietly let out a long sigh of relief. Thank goodness... Her secret didn't get exposed.
Alphiria was a true prodigy, possessing not only an enormous reservoir of mana but also affinities for all six elemental attributes and mastery over high-tier spells.
However, when she summoned me to this world, she was supposed to have lost eighty percent of her mana, leaving her unable to cast even basic spells properly. If that truth were ever exposed to the public, her standing as a noble genius would collapse in an instant.
I had been sweating bullets wondering how she planned to fake her way through the test, only for her to pull off an insane score of 800. As I sat there dumbfounded, Alphiria leaned close to my ear after returning to her seat. "I slept like a log last night and made a complete recovery! As expected of me!" she whispered in a bouncy tone. So that was why she had been in such a good mood this morning.
Still, could it really be that simple? I recalled the incident from last night when she had glommed onto me fresh out of the bath while practically naked, causing an abnormally hot pulsation deep within my chest. I couldn't help but suspect that might have had something to do with it, but as a complete amateur when it came to magic, I had no way to prove any cause and effect.
"I really can't match you, Aria," Cyril admitted with a half-amused sigh. "I thought I worked quite hard, but having you blow past me so effortlessly was entirely unexpected."
"...It was just luck," Alphiria replied evasively.
She answered Cyril, who was declaring her defeat with half-amused exasperation, while sporting a triumphant grin she couldn't quite conceal. So stubborn about her true feelings.
"Now then, last but not least... Shinya Nanatsuma. Step forward," Instructor Eldoar called out.
My heart hammered against my ribs as my name echoed across the room. Having to take the test while the excitement over Alphiria's staggering score was still at fever pitch felt like pure psychological torture. The curious, judging glares fixed on me by the other students made it agonizing just to take a step.
That's Lady Alphiria's personal butler. He must be incredible, right?
I don't sense a shred of mana from him, though. Is he really going to be okay?
If his score turns out to be mediocre after all that hype, it's going to be brutal...
I stood up to the backdrop of whispers laced with mixed expectations and skepticism. The outcome was already as plain as day to me, as was the inevitable fallout. A wave of profound gloom washed over me.
"Don't pay any mind to them, Shinya," Alphiria whispered softly.
Just as I was about to head toward the podium, Alphiria called out to me in a voice so faint it reached my ears alone.
"Remember what I told you? You are my retainer. No matter what happens, hold your head up high."
"...Thanks, Aria," I murmured back.
Emboldened by my master's dependable encouragement, I took a position in front of the crystal. As the class watched on with bated breath, I drew a deep breath, steeled my resolve, and gently rested my palm against the cool surface.
Dead silence fell over the classroom. There was no thunderous roar like Alphiria had produced, nor any bright flickering like Taron's display. Instead, a lonely, faint spark akin to a dying miniature light bulb flickered to life, floating a ruthless digit above it.
The score was 5.
"............Huh?"
Instructor Eldoar's face froze in utter bewilderment. He rubbed his eyes aggressively as if doubting his own vision, even inspecting the crystal to see if it had malfunctioned. Mortified and choked with awkward guilt, I turned on my heel and walked back to my desk.
Hey, seriously...? A mana capacity of five? I've never seen a number that low!
This academy isn't a daycare for toddlers!
There's no way he can serve as Lady Alphiria's bodyguard like that. At best, he's just a glorified luggage carrier!
Derisive insults flew at me like thrown stones from every corner of the room. Doing my best to tune out the chatter as I retreated, Taron suddenly extended a leg into the aisle, blocking my path.
"...What did you do, trash?" Taron growled under his breath.
"Excuse me?" I asked, stopping short.
"Don't play dumb with me! How did someone with a mana pool worse than garbage manage to cozy up to Lady Alphiria?"
His eyes burned not just with envy, but with sheer, unadulterated disgust. Truth be told, I hadn't "cozied up" to anyone—I was just an innocent victim summoned to this world out of nowhere one afternoon. Naturally, I couldn't say that out loud. Without offering a single word in reply, I sidestepped his leg and took my seat.
"W-Wait a moment! This must be some kind of mistake! Let us re-measure your mana at once—"
"No, Instructor. Please do not concern yourself with Shinya," Alphiria cut in, her voice flat and cold.
Her harsh tone completely squashed Instructor Eldoar's proposal. To an onlooker, it probably appeared as though she was disgusted by her butler's pathetic performance. But I knew better—this was her own roundabout way of shielding me from further public humiliation.
Once I sat down, Alphiria turned her head away with a huff. Underneath the desk, however, her small hand reached out and gripped the hem of my jacket tightly. Whether from anger at the class or guilt over her inability to defend me openly, her fingertips were trembling slightly.
"Pay them no mind, Shinya," she muttered under her breath. "Let them laugh all they want for now."
"...Yeah. Thanks, Aria," I whispered back.
Her voice was barely a faint murmur drowned out by the mocking chatter around us. Blunt as her phrasing was, her quiet comfort lifted the dark cloud over my spirits.
"Hey, Aria," Cyril chimed in smoothly. "I hate to ruin your tender moment, but we're still in the middle of class, you know? Try to keep the flirting to a minimum."
"...W-What?!" Alphiria squeaked, her face instantly flushing bright red as she snapped at Cyril. "We are not flirting! Don't say such ridiculous things!"
Watching Alphiria blow up at Cyril with a crimson face shattered the heavy tension hanging over the classroom in an instant. The mocking glares directed at me shifted into looks of mild exasperation at our antics.
"Sigh... Very well. That concludes the mana measurements!" Instructor Eldoar barked, clapping his hands. "Next, we move to practical application! Everyone, head to the dungeon entrance immediately!"
As Eldoar's loud instructions echoed through the room, Taron bored a hole into me with a glare dripping with pure malice. Man, I really hope no annoying trouble comes of this... I thought to myself with detached nonchalance.
*****
Deep beneath the academy, gathered before a massive, heavy stone door, Instructor Eldoar began explaining the rules of the labyrinth to us. Of course, everyone except me seemed to know the drill already.
"As most of you are aware, the entrance to the Aurora Underground Labyrinth is equipped with a teleportation circle that randomly distributes each student to a starting point inside," Instructor Eldoar projected his voice. "No matter where you are sent, maintain high vigilance so you can react to danger immediately!"
Hardly any students were listening seriously, offering lazy responses as one after another stepped into the glowing magic circle and vanished into the labyrinth. Taron spared me a contemptuous sneer as he stepped through, while Cyril offered a parting tip—"Do try your best not to die, Shinya"—before disappearing. Finally, when my turn arrived, Alphiria glided over and stood firmly at my side.
"Instructor Eldoar, might I make a proposal?" Alphiria asked, her voice clear and dignified.
"What is it, Alphiria?" Eldoar asked, pausing.
"As measured earlier, Shinya's mana capacity stands at a mere five points. Sending him into the dungeon alone poses an unacceptable danger. As his master, I request permission to accompany him during the trial."
Instructor Eldoar rested his chin in his hand, mulling over her resolute request for a few moments.
"Hmm... While this exam is meant to assess individual capability, we cannot afford casualties among our students. Very well, I shall grant a special exception for you to enter together."
"Thank you, Instructor," Alphiria bowed slightly before turning to me. "...Now then, Shinya, hold out your hand."
"Huh? Like this?" I asked, extending my hand.
The moment I obeyed, Alphiria clasped my right hand firmly in hers without giving me a chance to protest. As I stood there flustered by the sudden gesture, she averted her eyes.
"This is so we don't get separated during the teleportation," she explained, her voice tight. "So don't you dare let go, understood?"
"O-Oh... Got it," I stammered.
She turned her face away to hide her slightly blushing cheeks, yet her grip remained firm and uncompromising. I was just glad there were no other students around to witness this—if the male students, especially Taron, had seen us holding hands like this, they would have glared at me with murderous intent and possibly blasted me with combat spells on the spot.
Musing over the terrifying prospect, I stepped onto the magic circle alongside Alphiria. In an instant, a brilliant flash of white engulfed my vision, and a sensation of floating washed over my body.
As the light faded, I slowly opened my eyes. A muggy, unpleasant stench—a mix of heavy humidity, stagnant mold, and ancient earth—assaulted my nostrils.
"...So this is a real dungeon," I murmured under my breath.
It was the classic trope setting I had seen countless times in video games and manga. Yet the chill brushing against my skin and the dusty air entering my lungs with every breath forcefully reminded me that this was harsh reality. Instinctive dread and a primal fear stiffened my muscles before I could stop myself.
"Hey, how long are you going to stand there dazed?" Alphiria asked, poking my arm.
"I-I was just caught off guard," I stammered, rubbing the back of my neck. "The scenery changed in a blink, and the atmosphere is totally different. Plus, you know, I'm from another world, so this is literally my first time seeing a real dungeon—──!"
"...That's fair. Being suddenly dragged to a place like this would startle anyone," Alphiria admitted softly, her tone softening. "I'm sorry, I should have been more considerate."
She looked genuinely remorseful, which wasn't my intention at all. Sure, I was terrified, but standing before a sight I had dreamed about for years had secretly thrilled me to my core.
"No, it's not your fault, Aria. Believe it or not, I'm actually a little excited to be here," I reassured her with a faint grin.
"Heh-heh. You don't have to act tough... but thank you," Alphiria chuckled softly, looking visibly relieved.
With a tender smile of relief, she gave my right hand a firm, reassuring squeeze. "Let's move," she declared, setting off into the cavern.
The crisp click-clack of our footwear against the stone floor reverberated quietly through the damp cavernous hall.
"U-Um... Lady Alphiria? Don't you think we're walking a bit too close to each other?" I asked hesitantly.
"We're not too close at all. In fact, it's dangerous, so stay closer to me, Shinya," she insisted without missing a beat.
My modest objection was shot down immediately, with her adding a layer of concern on top of it. Despite the teleportation being long finished, Alphiria and I were still holding hands tightly, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with barely a whisper of air between us.
The path was a single straight corridor, so there was zero risk of getting lost. But this was a monster-infested dungeon. With mutated beasts liable to spring out at any second, sticking this close together felt like it would hamper our movements in a fight. If we were ambushed, an innocent former high schooler with zero combat ability like me would have no means of fighting back.
"There's no need to be frightened," Alphiria reassured me, puffing out her chest proudly. "If monsters attack, I will take care of them all. Just leave everything to me and relax."
Her voice brimmed with supreme confidence, making her earlier despondency feel like a distant memory. Having registered an astounding score of 800 during the measurement, she had completely regained the calm composure of a top-tier mage.
(Still... did her mana really just recover overnight from a good sleep...?)
A lingering shred of anxiety nagged at my mind, but for now, I had no choice but to place my trust in her words and press forward.
On a side note, dungeons in this world were described as a kind of "pus"—phenomena formed when excess ambient mana pooled into a specific area, solidified, and eroded deep into the earth.
In ancient times, countless dungeons erupted across the world, only to be cleared and destroyed by powerful mages. However, no new dungeons had manifested for hundreds of years, leaving only three active dungeons remaining in the entire world. The Aurora Underground Labyrinth we were currently standing in was one of those legendary Three Great Labyrinths.
"...Based on what I heard, I was expecting some hideous, terrifying hellhole, but this just looks like a normal cave," I commented, looking around in slight disappointment.
Alphiria let out an exasperated sigh at my underwhelmed reaction as I looked around.
"Well, of course," she scoffed. "The upper floors around here are managed zones protected by barriers erected by Headmistress Ortea herself to guarantee student safety. There is virtually zero danger on these levels."
"So basically..." I muttered, looking around the subterranean passage. "Are you telling me we're standing in the Headmistress's backyard right now? She tamed a world-class danger zone and turned it into a training ground like some sandbox... That woman really is beyond ridiculous."
"That about sums it up," Alphiria replied with a casual nod. "Thanks to her, we get to build genuine combat experience in safety while we're still students. We really owe her a debt of gratitude."
Alphiria shrugged lightly as she spoke. Incidentally, the deepest floor ever reached in the Aurora Underground Labyrinth was currently the forty-eighth floor. The Headmistress's barrier only reached down to the third level. Rumor had it that ancient Artifacts from the age of gods lay sleeping in the unexplored depths below.
As we continued our conversation while moving deeper into the cave, a sickening, excited screech echoed from the gloom ahead. Gigigi... Goosebumps broke out across my arms from sheer visceral revulsion.
"Stop," Alphiria commanded in a cool, steady voice. "Shinya, fall back."
Speaking with resolute calm, Alphiria smoothly drew the blade sheathing at her hip. The sudden loss of her warm hand made me feel just a little helpless and insecure.
Held firmly in her grip was a weapon known as a Wand-Sword. Just as the name implied, it was a specialized armament that combined a sword and a magic wand into a single piece.
For mages who relied on magic, close combat represented their greatest threat and vulnerability. No matter how top-tier a mage might be, casting a spell took at least a second. In that fleeting moment, a master knight could close the distance and sever their head. The Wand-Sword had been engineered specifically to eliminate that fatal opening—all of which Alphiria had patiently explained to me beforehand.
"Gugyagyagyaa!"
Slithering out from the darkness were three green imps. Fantasy manga usually depicted them as bottom-rung trash mobs, but depending on the genre, they were hateful little beasts infamous for forcing heroines into "Kuh, kill me!" situations.
"Goblins," Alphiria noted coolly, a fearless smile touching her lips. "Well, I suppose they make sensible targets for a practical exercise."
She glided smoothly in front of me. Given the nasty reputation of our opponents, seeing her act so completely unbothered actually made me feel a bit anxious.
"Don't move from that spot, Shinya," she instructed, raising her blade. "Pay close attention to how a mage fights using magic."
"Got it," I replied, nodding nervously. "Just be careful, Aria."
"Heh-heh. Who do you take me for?" Alphiria scoffed softly. "I'm hardly going to fall behind against small fry of that caliber."
That's what people call setting a death flag... I muttered internally. Leaving my silent worries behind, Alphiria calmly took a stance with her Wand-Sword, facing down the triad of monsters. The heavy tension in the air forced me to swallow hard.
"Gugyaaaah—!"
Unleashing filthy roars, the goblins pounced toward Alphiria all at once. Unflinching, she slowly raised her Wand-Sword high into the air.
"Return to ashes—"
A furious blaze ignited along the length of the blade, flooding the dim cavern with a brilliant crimson radiance. Witnessing a force heralded as the origin of all creation and the ultimate symbol of change made a shudder run down my spine. The dim-witted imps, however, seemed entirely incapable of understanding the terrible power before them—
"'Furious Incineration: Vulcanus!'"
She slowly swept her Wand-Sword in a horizontal arc. Crimson flames erupted along the trajectory of her slash, engulfing the goblins in an instant. The nauseating stench of scorched flesh and an overwhelming surge of heat filled the entire cave.
"So this is magic..." I gasped. "Unbelievable..."
Overwhelmed by a raw, terrifying intensity utterly unlike anything created with CGI, I stared dumbfounded at the charred remains of the goblins smoldering before me. The searing heat scorched my skin, and the acrid smell stung my nostrils. Alphiria, however, casually flicked her Wand-Sword to clear the lingering embers before smoothly sheathing it as if nothing extraordinary had happened.
"I tried to hold back, but that was a bit excessive, wasn't it?" Alphiria mused, tilting her head slightly.
"No, no," I countered quickly. "I'm pretty sure that went WAY beyond 'a bit'..."
"Just so you know, that wasn't anywhere near my full power," she boasted, puffing out her chest proudly. "If you're shocked by something of this level, you'll run through a dozen hearts before we're done."
She puffed out her chest with a smug hum. If she actually went all out, wouldn't she just blow up the entire cavern instead of bothering to explore it?
Yet, something struck me as odd. Though she maintained a cool expression, her breathing seemed just a fraction heavier than normal. Besides, was it really necessary to unleash that kind of absurd firepower against three weak goblins?
Is her power control out of sync...? Or is her mana efficiency just terrible right now?
While my suspicion was rapidly turning into conviction, the girl in question seemed completely oblivious as she began marching forward triumphantly.
"Stop standing there dazed and let me lead the way," Alphiria called back. "If we dawdle, the sun will set before we finish."
I scrambled to catch up behind her. At this rate, no matter what monsters were lurking ahead, they wouldn't stand a chance against her. That was how it should have been, yet for some reason, the nagging anxiety in my chest only grew stronger.
Along the way, several groups of goblins attempted to block our path, but Alphiria instantly obliterated them with a single stroke of her Wand-Sword as she pushed deeper into the labyrinth.
"By the way, I was curious..." I began. "Your epithet is the 'Arc-Flame Witch,' right? If you have aptitude for all six elements, why does your title focus on 'Flame'?"
"There's no grand reason for it," Alphiria replied lightly. "Fire magic just happens to be my absolute best. Even if someone possesses aptitude for all elements, everyone still has their strengths and weaknesses."
"I figured you could use every type of magic equally well, but I guess not," I remarked.
"The only person capable of such a versatile feat is Headmistress Ortea," Alphiria explained with a casual shrug. "Well... maybe the Progenitor of Magic, too."
She gave her shoulders a small shrug after speaking.
"Mind if I ask one more thing while we're at it?" I pressed. "Are you actually a noble lady, Aria?"
"Heh-heh. Yes, indeed," Alphiria confirmed with a soft chuckle. "The public generally refers to mine as a prestigious house of mages."
According to her, the Glastonbury family was one of the most prominent noble houses in the Arcadia Kingdom. They were an elite lineage among elites, having produced countless archmages for the royal crown's strongest unit—the Hexa Zenith.
"So you're an elite among elites," I said, impressed. "That's incredible, Aria."
"Do you look up to me a little more now?" Alphiria preened slightly. "My goal is to enlist in the Hexa Zenith and eventually take over as head of my house. So as you can see, I don't have time to stall around... Ah, we've finally arrived."
Where Alphiria pointed stood a massive stone door engraved with heavy crests. On either side sat imp statues positioned like guardian lion-dogs. Pretty devout for monsters, I thought dryly.
"Is the boss through there...?" I asked, eyeing the massive door.
"There's no need to be frightened," Alphiria reassured him. "Even if it's a boss, it's likely just a slightly larger goblin."
"One hit from my magic will settle it," she added, offering a cute, charming wink. She was clearly trying to bolster my spirits as I swallowed hard against my nerves. I felt pathetic for failing to act confident like some otherworldly manga protagonist, but Alphiria just gave my shoulder a reassuring pat.
"Don't worry. I'll train you strictly from here on out, so for now, just stay behind me. Got it?" she instructed warmly.
The moment I opened my mouth to nod, "Understood"—
"Gyaaaaaah!! S-Someone! Help us!"
A bloodcurdling scream shattered the silence from behind the heavy stone door. It was undeniably the desperate voice of a student who had entered the labyrinth ahead of us.
"What was that scream?!" I blurted out, snapping to attention.
"...! We're going, Shinya!" Alphiria barked instantly.
Her expression and tone sharpened instantly. Sprinting toward the massive door, she threw her weight against it with both hands, forcing it open as we burst inside.
Rumble, rumble, rumble...
The hall opened up before us with a heavy roar. The instant we stepped into the chamber, our eyes caught a horrifying sight: a massive monster with bulging, rock-hard muscles and dark red skin—a Goblin Lord—raising a giant wooden club high into the air, completely incomparable to any goblin we had faced so far.
Scattered across the stone floor lay several savagely beaten students. A female student had been blasted against the far wall, unconscious, while a male student cowered in terror on his knees, clutching the shattered remains of his Wand-Sword. Even attacking in a group, they had been utterly helpless against the brute.
"D-Damn it...!" another male student sobbed, crawling desperately across the stones. "This is just a practical class... Why the hell is there a Variant here?!"
His body battered and bloodied, the boy cried out with a face pale with absolute despair. This was a catastrophic anomaly in a dungeon supposed to be safely managed by the Headmistress. While innate human survival instincts screamed at me to turn and run, Alphiria boldly stepped forward.
"All of you leave this place right now and call Mr. Eldoar!" Alphiria commanded firmly. "I'll hold that beast back in the meantime!"
"L-Lady Alphiria?!" the boy stammered, wide-eyed. "B-But that thing isn't normal! No matter how talented you are...!"
"Thank you for the warning, but don't worry about me!" she snapped back sharply. "Take your comrades and get out of here quickly!"
Overwhelmed by her ferocious resolve, the boy hesitated for a fraction of a second before scrambling to rouse his injured friend. Hauling the unconscious female student into his arms, he sprinted toward the exit, shouting over his shoulder as he ran past us, "I'm sorry! We'll fetch the instructor right away!"
"Do not move from that spot, Shinya," Alphiria instructed, keeping her gaze locked on the threat.
"...Aria, are you really going to be okay?" I asked anxiously.
"Who do you think you're speaking to?" she replied with a confident smirk. "I am Alphiria Glastonbury. Something of this level won't shake me."
"Gugyaoooooh!!"
An ear-splitting, vile roar vibrated through the air. The raw pressure of its voice alone made it difficult to remain standing, but the Goblin Lord charged forward at terrifying speed, bringing down its log-like club with brute, reckless force.
"—Too slow!"
Alphiria dodged the lethal blow with minimal, fluid movement, thrusting her Wand-Sword high into the air.
"Burn, O Purgatory—'Infernal Blast: Ignis!'"
An ultra-high-temperature explosion of fire erupted from the Wand-Sword, transforming the entire hall into a scorching sea of red in an instant. The charging Goblin Lord was completely swallowed up by the ferocious inferno.
"Gugagaaah...!"
The Goblin Lord writhed violently within the flames, letting out agonized shrieks. The sickening stench of burning raw meat filled the air, making me grimace in revulsion.
"I have no desire to gaze upon a vulgar face like yours any longer," Alphiria declared coldly. "Allow me to end this at once."
Mana surged violently around Alphiria's entire body. But just as she prepared to unleash another spell to finish off the struggling fiend—
"Gugyaoooooh!!"
Forcibly tearing through the flames, the monster's giant red-black frame roared in dark triumph. The charred hide swelled with a sickening squelch, rapidly knitting back together right before our eyes.
"Self-regeneration?!" Alphiria gasped in shock. "How can a Goblin Lord possess that kind of power?!"
Alphiria stood frozen in disbelief. Was this abnormal vitality due to it being a Variant? No wonder the students who fled had been completely defeated.
"In that case, I'll simply incinerate it with firepower so intense that its regeneration can't possibly keep up...!" Alphiria gritted her teeth, recommitting her weapon.
Gritting her teeth tightly, she readied her Wand-Sword once more.
"Bloom, O Purgatory—'Blade Bloom: Stelia!'"
Swords of fire materialized in numbers large enough to blanket the entire hall. Their glowing tips locked onto the Goblin Lord, preparing to launch simultaneously, when suddenly—
"—Huh?"
A dumbfounded gasp escaped Alphiria's lips. Simultaneously, the brilliant radiance of mana dwelling in her Wand-Sword fizzled out like a dead battery in a toy. Worse still, the floating blades of fire aimed at the monster shattered into harmless sparks and vanished.
"N-No way..." Alphiria stammered, her face draining of color. "My mana... it... vanished...?"
The Wand-Sword trembled violently in her hand. Alphiria desperately tried to wring out every drop of mana to cast a spell, but not even a single spark flew. The terrifying hunch I had harbored along the way had just come true in the worst imaginable way.
The 800 mana reading during the measurement had been nothing more than a temporary fluke—her mana hadn't truly recovered at all. Her excessive spellcasting against the earlier goblins, followed by this massive area-of-effect spell, had drained what tiny reserves she had left in an instant.
"Gugyagyagyagyaa!!"
Realizing its formidable opponent had suddenly lost her power, the Goblin Lord's hideous face twisted in cruel delight. It began advancing slowly toward the stunned girl.
"...! Don't mock me!" Alphiria screamed, trying to force down her terror. "Who do you think I am?!"
Desperately shaking off the despair of being unable to cast magic, she rallied her courage and kicked off the stone floor. The Wand-Sword was designed precisely to cover a mage's weakness in melee combat. She thrust the razor-sharp blade straight toward the Goblin Lord's vital point.
CLAAAAANG!!
"N-No way...!?" Alphiria gasped.
Her full-power thrust was blocked by the monster's log-like arm, raised like a makeshift shield. The steel blade failed to even scratch its red-black hide, scattering sparks as if striking solid metal before rebounding violently from her grip.
"Guga!"
"Kyaaaa?!"
Immediately after, the Goblin Lord delivered a casual backhand as if swatting an annoying bug. Though the attack didn't hit her head-on, the mere grazing impact blew Alphiria's slender body away like a dry leaf, slamming her hard against the stone wall.
"Kaha... ah, ugh..."
She collapsed limply onto the stone floor, her face twisting in agonizing pain. She tried to squirm and force herself up, but the sheer force of the blow robbed her legs of all strength, leaving her sitting helplessly on the ground.
Her dignified composure as a top-tier warrior vanished entirely. Faced with the overwhelming, inescapable terror of impending death, she curled up and hugged her trembling body.
"N-No...! Stay away!" Alphiria sobbed, shrinking back.
The giant red-black brute cast a suffocating shadow over her retreating form. Raising its massive club high once more, the weapon hung over her like the Grim Reaper's merciless scythe.
"No... I don't want to die... Not in a place like this..."
Large tears overflowed from Alphiria's eyes, streaming down her pale cheeks.
"If only I had my mana... If only I had my magic...!" she cried out bitterly.
Her agonizing cry, sounding almost like she was vomiting blood, echoed mournfully through the quiet cavern.
"If I had my original mana, I could turn a monster like this to ash in an instant...! I have to enlist in the Hexa Zenith...!"
It was a desperate longing for her lost mana, a fierce rage at her own powerlessness, and a crushing despair over a future about to be ripped away.
"N-No way," I muttered, his body trembling. "I can't... I can't let that happen...!"
I won't let her die! But no matter how fiercely I felt, I lacked both the power to fight and a weapon capable of hurting that monster. But could I really just stand by and watch?
The answer was an absolute, resounding no. I was her familiar, and I couldn't bear to watch my cute master weeping in despair right in front of me. If there was ever a moment to put my life on the line, it was right now!
"Aria, get out of there—!" I screamed at the top of his lungs.
Acting purely on instinct, I launched myself forward as if propelled by an invisible force. The instant I moved, thump! My heart throbbed with strange, intense heat deep within my chest. I reached her side at a speed that shocked even myself, right as the Goblin Lord began bringing down its massive club.
"Huh? Shinya...!?" Alphiria gasped in astonishment.
Scooping up the stunned girl, I wrapped my arms tightly around her and used my momentum to dive backward, barely avoiding the fatal strike.
BOOOOOOM!!
A roaring explosion echoed behind us as the stone floor was pulverized into powder. Tumbling together across the cold stone floor, we were hit by the shockwave of the air pressure, making every bone in my body scream in agony.
"Shinya, you idiot! Why did you jump out like that?!" Alphiria screamed in my arms. Her eyes, glaring up at me, glistened with tears of terror and desperate anger.
"S-Sorry," I wheezed out. "But when I saw you in danger, my body just moved on its own..."
"...Fool," she whispered, her voice cracking. "You should have just left me and run for your life..."
Listening to the heavy, steady thud of death approaching step by step, Alphiria muttered self-deprecatingly. Burying her face into my chest, her small hands gripped the hem of my shirt tightly, trembling uncontrollably.
"I ended up ruining your entire life, didn't I...?" she wept softly. "I'm so... so sorry..."
Gone was her usual proud, dignified demeanor. What remained was simply a fragile, vulnerable girl, weeping with remorse and shivering in fear of death.
"...Are you giving up?" I asked softly.
"Because... I don't even have the strength left to run away anymore..." she sobbed, clinging to me even tighter.
We were in an absolute dead end. Yet precisely because it was a dead end, my senses were heightened beyond measure. The soft elasticity of her full chest pressed against mine and the sweet scent tickling my nose sent a jolt through me.
Thump, thump, thump...!
My heart beat at an abnormal tempo, almost like an alarm or a surge of excitement, burning hot deep within my chest.
"It's not too late for you," Alphiria urged, looking up with trembling eyes. "I'll act as a decoy... so please, just run away!"
"Don't be ridiculous," I replied softly. "What kind of familiar runs away and leaves his master behind? If we die, we die together."
I can't believe a day would come where I’d actually utter a cheesy line straight out of a manga, I thought with a faint shudder. And worse... doesn’t that basically sound like a marriage proposal?!
“G-geez... to say something like that in a moment like this...” Alphiria stammered, her voice trembling softly. “...But fine. Give me your life, Shinya. In exchange... I’ll give you mine.”
She slowly lifted her face to meet mine. Though she had prepared herself for death, a delicate rosy flush tinged her cheeks, and her tear-glistening eyes sparkled with feverish intensity, radiant as rare jewels.
“Tell me, Shinya...” she whispered, her voice melting with sweet vulnerability. “Will you... take my first time?”
I wasn’t anywhere noble enough to refuse a request like that—especially when delivered with such an irresistibly sultry expression and voice by an absolute beauty.
“...It’s my first time too,” I managed to stammer out nervously. “So... please go easy on me.”
“Dummy,” Alphiria chided with a weak chuckle. “Pull yourself together for once. It’s our final moment.”
As a fleeting, tender smile spilled from her lips, I slowly leaned my face in toward hers.
Directly behind us, I sensed the looming presence of the Goblin Lord’s massive club—the grim reaper’s scythe itself—poised to strike.
Even so, my awareness was entirely drawn to the girl before me. Alphiria didn't close her eyes; instead, she gazed steadfastly into mine with her tear-brimmed, jewel-like ice-blue eyes.
Though trembling with fear, her gaze was poignant yet resolute, as if trying to engrave the sight of the partner sharing her final moment onto her very soul. Drawn together by an irresistible pull, our lips quietly met.
A soft sensation. A sweet, quivering breath.
In that exact instant—
THUMP!!
Deep inside my chest, something that had been dormant let out a roar of pure jubilation, throbbing violently as if my heart were about to burst open.
“——Ghk?!”
From our locked lips through our pressed skin, the latent power that had merely smoldered within me burst into explosive heat upon linking with her. Transforming into raw mana, I felt it surge toward her lips, seeking an outlet.
No, it wasn't just a one-way flow. The magic pulse surged back and forth between us, circulating furiously to bind our very bodies together.
“GUGYAOOOOAH...?!”
An instant later, the log-like club the Goblin Lord swung down with all its might slammed directly into an invisible barrier of heat enveloping us—shattering into a million wooden splinters.
“...Ah, n-ngh... *mmpft*...”
Overwhelmed by the colossal torrent of mana pouring from me and rushing back and forth between us, Alphiria let out a honeyed, feverish gasp within my arms, her lips nibbling on mine even more intensely.
As the circulating magic sweetly melted away her self-control, her pressed body snuggled against mine as if turning to liquid. With every touch, an intoxicating surge of power akin to omnipotence surged through my entire being.
“*Ngh*... *chuu*... ah... Huh? Are we... still alive?” Alphiria murmured, pulling back her lips and staring at me in dazed confusion.
Coming back to her senses, she tilted her head in stunned bewilderment.
“We’re alive,” I replied with a wry smile. “...Though I honestly thought my heart was going to stop for a completely different reason.”
I reached out and gently wiped the corner of her lips with my thumb. Seeing the glistening, seductive silver thread connecting us, she finally realized what she had been doing in her trance-like state.
“W-Wh-That’s not it!” she shrieked, blushing furiously. “This was just... the mana acting on its own...! Hey, what are you snickering at?!”
“Hahaha, sorry, sorry,” I laughed softly. “It’s just that you were so ridiculously cute, Aria.”
“C-C-C-Cute...?! Jeez, what are you saying at a time like this?!” she squeaked.
Flushing crimson like a boiled lobster, teary-eyed Alphiria began flailing her fists against my chest. She called me an idiot over and over, but her little punches didn't hurt in the slightest.
“...Aria,” I said quietly, gently staying her hands. “Leave the rest to me.”
I gave her head an affectionate pat to soothe her embarrassment before slowly rising to my feet. My whole body burned with fierce heat as an incomprehensible surge of power welled up from the core of my soul.
I took a single step forward. That alone shattered the stone floor beneath me into a spiderweb of cracks, sending a storm of crimson magic particles fluttering through the hall.
“GUGYAAAH... G-GYAAAAAHHH!”
Sensing impending death by pure instinct, the Goblin Lord roared in threat, swinging its massive fists as it charged. But to my heightened senses, its ferocious rush appeared so slow it was practically frozen in time.
Obeying the instinctual power welling in my chest, I scooped up Alphiria’s wand-sword lying on the stone floor. Tremendous mana flowed from my heart through my right arm into the weapon, causing the blade to blaze with a translucent, radiant crimson glow.
“Return to ash—『Ignis Dora: Explosive Hellfire Storm』!”
This was the very first spell I had ever seen her cast.
The moment I swept the sword in a casual arc, what erupted from the blade was no mere streak of fire—it was a colossal, violent tsunami of crimson flames capable of swallowing the entire hall whole.
ROOOOOAAAR!! A monstrous explosion erupted, vaporizing even the beast's screams. The scorching tidal wave engulfed the Goblin Lord’s massive body, melting the surrounding stone walls into glowing red slag.
“What incredible power...?!” Alphiria gasped, her eyes wide with shock. “It doesn’t even compare to mine...!”
As the tsunami of flame cleared, the Goblin Lord came into view—over half of its body charred to cinders and hideous, blistered flesh.
“Guh... GAHHH...!”
“No way...!” Alphiria cried out. “It took a direct hit from that and it’s still alive?!”
The monster's dark red flesh writhed with a grotesque squelching sound as it expanded, forcefully regenerating its charred flesh. Its vitality was truly monstrous.
Yet neither panic nor fear touched my heart. I simply envisioned the next spell in my mind with calm composure—the very spell she had been unable to complete.
“Bloom in wild purgatory—『Steeria: Blooming Blaze Blades』!”
I pointed the tip of the wand-sword toward the ceiling.
In that instant, dozens—no, hundreds—of flaming swords forged from super-compressed, high-density fire manifested in midair above my head.
A sea of crimson blades filled the entire hall, hovering in the air as every tip locked onto its target.
“...So beautiful,” Alphiria whispered breathlessly from behind me.
I heard her quiet sigh of awe echo softly behind me.
I brought the wand-sword down in a deliberate sweep. At that signal, the swords of flame rained down upon the Goblin Lord like a meteor shower.
RAT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-AT-BANG!!!
Evasion was impossible. Without a shred of mercy, the blades of fire impaled the Goblin Lord’s massive frame, searing flesh, shattering bone, and burning its life away so completely that not even a moment of regeneration was permitted.
A titanic pillar of fire shot into the sky at last, and when the inferno settled, nothing remained but a crater gouged deep into the thick stone floor and absolute silence—not a single speck of ash left behind.
“...Incredible...” Alphiria murmured, her cheeks pale with disbelief.
She stared in stunned silence at the terrifyingly gorgeous devastation. Astonished by my own deed, I turned back to smile at her and say, We won, Aria—when suddenly...
My heart gave an ominous, violent thud.
Instantly, a sickening surge of exhaustion and excruciating pain wracked my entire body, causing my vision to warp violently.
“Huh...?” I gasped.
It was the severe backlash of drawing mana far beyond my limits. Like a puppet whose strings had been cut, every ounce of strength drained from my limbs in an instant.
“Shinya!!” Aria screamed in agony.
Just as my body collapsed toward the cold stone floor, her frantic voice calling my name and the warm embrace catching me were the last things I registered before my consciousness sank into total darkness.
*****
“...ya. ...Shinya. Come on, wake up already. Please... wake up...”
A worried voice was calling my name. A faint scent blending disinfectant and floral sweetness lingered in the air, and I felt a soft, slightly damp, delicate warmth clasping my right hand.
Looks like dream time is over, I realized. I had wanted to savor the pleasant drowsiness a little longer and linger in memories of Great-Grandmother, but staying asleep any longer would surely earn me a lecture.
“...Ngh...”
I slowly pried my heavy eyelids open, and an unfamiliar, high white ceiling came into view. To think I’d live to experience the classic internet meme for real... "Ah, an unfamiliar ceiling."
“Finally awake, are we?” a voice chimed from right beside me.
I turned toward the sound. Sitting in a chair by my bedside, reading a book, was Alphiria.
The morning sun streaming through the window bathed her blonde hair, tinting it a translucent, radiant platinum. The sight was so ethereal that I was rendered speechless for a moment, completely entranced.
“...Good morning, Aria,” I offered weakly.
“Yes, good morning,” she replied coolly. “Sleeping for three straight days and leaving your master all alone makes you quite a naughty familiar, you know.”
Speaking in a rapid clipped tone, she snapped her book shut and huffily turned her back on me. It certainly wasn't my imagination that the tips of her ears were flushed pink. Nor was the warmth still lingering on my right hand.
“Three days?” I blurted out. “Was I out for that long? Wait... were you staying by my side the whole time?”
“As if!” she scoffed, crossing her arms. “I’m hardly that free with my time.”
“Right, of course,” I chuckled. “Still, thank you. You were holding my hand just now, weren’t you?”
As I mentioned it while focusing on the lingering touch in my right hand, Alphiria’s face reddened at a visible pace.
“N-No I wasn’t!” she stammered flusteredly. “I-I-I certainly wasn’t holding your hand because I was worried about you not waking up! It was purely for vital sign maintenance! Nothing more, nothing less, so don’t get any weird ideas!”
She shot up from her chair in a single rapid motion, rattling off excuses all at once. I couldn't help but wryly chuckle at a tsundere routine so textbook it was rare in this day and age, prompting her to glare down at me with absolute murder in her eyes.
“M-More importantly!” she shouted, deflecting hastily. “What was that spell you used to obliterate the Goblin Lord?! How were you able to cast the exact same magic as me?!”
“Well... I don’t really get it myself,” I confessed awkwardly. “It’s just... back then, when Aria and I... err, kissed... this intense heat surged up from deep inside my chest...”
I rested a hand over my chest as I put it into words.
The overwhelming heat that had generated all that mana had cooled down now. Yet I had a firm conviction that if I could feed firewood into this furnace once more, I could cast that spell not just one more time, but as many times as I wished.
“I see. So kissing me caused mana to swell inside you,” Alphiria summarized, nodding thoughtfully.
“Y-Yeah... right. I guess that’s pretty much how it goes?” I admitted.
Saying it out loud made me painfully self-conscious, and I reflexively averted my eyes. Alphiria, however, fixed me with a gaze that was serious, yet faintly burning with passion.
“Actually... a tiny bit of my own mana has returned,” she revealed.
“Really?!” I gasped in surprise.
“Mhm. I think... it’s probably because we... k-kissed...” she murmured.
Blushing all the way to her ears, she shyly twiddled her fingers together. The girlish shyness of a dignified beauty really has lethal destructive force, I thought blankly. Noticing my dazed look, Alphiria cleared her throat with an exaggeratedly loud cough to compose her expression.
“I gave it some thought on my own,” she explained, trying to sound dignified. “I believe mana is generated when two conditions align: ‘arousal’ and ‘skin-to-skin or mucous membrane contact.’”
“I see... Wait, so what does that actually mean?!” I asked dumbfounded.
“I-In short!” she blurted out, her face burning. “It means we need to do things like hugging and kissing to make sure we can both use magic!”
“Don’t make me spell it out, dummy!” Alphiria seemed to snap in exasperation. What on earth is this noble lady saying?! I wondered in shock. Does that mean from now on, we’ll be kissing—and maybe doing even more than that?!
“A-Aria, are you really okay with that?” I asked carefully. “Doing... those kinds of things with me just for magic...”
“—! I-It’s not like I want to do it or anything, okay?!” she bellowed defensively. “This is purely out of necessity so I can regain my mana and so you can become a proper familiar! Don’t you get any weird ideas!”
“A-All right, I get it,” I agreed placatingly. “I’ll cooperate so we can get your magic back to normal.”
“...Good. Then it’s settled!” she declared firmly.
When I gave an honest nod, Alphiria—her face still bright red—spun around as if she couldn't take it anymore and marched toward the bedroom door with brisk, heavy strides.
“B-But, you know...” she stammered, pausing with her hand resting on the doorknob.
Stopping in her tracks, she let out a small, dainty cough before mumbling in a voice so faint it was almost inaudible.
“Kissing you wasn’t too terrible. I might do it again if the mood strikes me.”
“Did you say something, Aria?” I asked innocently. “I couldn’t hear you, so could you say it one more time?”
“Shut up! I said someone who just woke up from a coma should quietly stay in bed!” she shrieked.
After yelling with a crimson face, Alphiria fled the room like a startled rabbit. As the door slammed shut behind her, leaving the room in peaceful quiet, I quietly chuckled to myself.
“...‘Not too terrible’ is my line,” I murmured softly.
Having actually heard every single word loud and clear, I gently touched my own lips, reminiscing on the sensation of that moment. Feeling the pulse of the new power awakening within me, I sat alone on the bed, savoring the flutter of my racing heart.
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