episode_0004

“If you’ve come to see the cat, you just need to go back.”

She looked at me in silence and smiled in a quiet tavern. This is why I dislike royalty.

“I’m curious about the food professors eat, and I’m also curious about what commoners eat.”

“If that’s the case, you should have come alone.”

She pouted. As I looked around, knights seemed to be standing in the tavern to protect her. There must be knights outside controlling as well. Don’t use Araelia’s national power in a place like this. When I turned my head cautiously to respond to the words that were about to come out, the shop staff and Aunt Toa were looking at us with curious eyes.

“Since you’re not an adult yet, I can’t sell you alcohol. According to Araelia’s laws, those who haven’t undergone a coming-of-age ceremony cannot drink, so you wouldn’t think of breaking the law, would you?”

“What about a royal decree?”

“That wouldn’t be an order from Princess Araelia.”

“It’s a joke, Astan. Just prepare the most delicious thing in the shop.”

I slightly smiled and bowed my head, then walked to the counter and placed an order with Aunt Toa.

“Give us the best you have.”

“There’s nothing fit for a royal here.”

“Just give us anything, it’s tastier than the academy.”

“…Alright, let’s try.”

Aunt Toa took a deep breath, then exhaled, rolling up her sleeves. I bowed apologetically to the staff.

“I’m sorry, since we’re the only ones here today, you can all go in first if you want. Is that okay, Aunt Toa?”

“I’d rather stay here than cause trouble. You go in first, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Upon our words, the staff quickly changed clothes and left the restaurant and bar. I stood at the counter, staring at Cerestria sitting at the table. Whether she liked the situation or found it strange, she glanced around the tavern, then smiled at me.

The prince is strange, no, it’s Ceresria that’s strange. Of all things, to meet as a guest. Should I have run away the moment I found out?

“Here is the honey-glazed pork and grape juice you ordered.”

“It’s simpler than I thought.”

“I don’t know what His Highness wanted, but if you want to eat what you’re thinking of, you should go to a restaurant, not a tavern.”

“That’s true, but could you do me a favor, Astan?”

“If it’s Your Majesty’s command.”

With those words, she slightly bowed her head, covering her chest with her right hand, and spoke to me.

“I would like you to bring that cat for me.”

“… There seem to be many others who can do that besides me.”

“I want Astan to bring it to me.”

I sighed inwardly. It was an order, so I had no choice. I took off the apron I was wearing and placed it on the counter before going out through the back door of the shop. I came out through the back door of the shop and slowly looked for the cat, but the cat was nowhere to be seen.

Wondering what method to use, I cautiously scanned the area with my eyes, but I didn’t see a single trace. It was natural, though. With so many knights here, wouldn’t any cat be scared and run away? Should I try luring it with food? As I let out a sigh, the sound of footsteps reached my ears.

Instinctively turning my head, she was standing there. Why would someone who was supposed to be dining suddenly come here?

“Did you find it?”

“If I did, would I be standing like this?”

At that moment, she flicked her right hand, and with the sound of her fingers, all the boxes around me began to float in the air, and I stared at her blankly.

“It’s not here.”

“It’s funny to use magic to find a cat.”

“The person who just scanned mana with their eyes shouldn’t be saying that.”

At that moment, laughter escaped from her lips. I wondered why this person was acting like this and glared at her.

“What exactly do you want?”

“A cat.”

“It doesn’t seem like it. It seems like you’re circling around me as if you want something.”

“I’m curious, whether you are truly from Aravelia, or just pretending to be from there, or if you have something you want from me, or if you’re trying to kill me. I’m very suspicious.”

“If I wanted to kill the princess, she would already be dead. And where would one hide their royal lineage from the royals? Those who are determined can find out anything.”

“That’s true, but…”

At that moment, her pupils turned crimson. As our eyes met, her right hand reflexively opened. In a situation that seemed like an attack was imminent, she channeled mana through her body.

“Because I’m curious.”

“Let’s talk, then. I have no intention of facing off against a princess of a kingdom.”

“A duel might be possible, but I’m just curious.”

“So, what exactly are you curious about?”

Before I could finish my sentence, her right hand moved towards me, and in an instant, I gathered mana in my right hand to deflect the incoming flame. The searing heat at my fingertips made me instinctively bite my lip.

“You blocked it?”

“If that had hit, you’d be toast.”

“Should we try a little harder then?”

At that moment, a spell flowed from her lips. I couldn’t quickly decipher the newly cast spell, but the flames surrounding her seemed dangerous. It seemed daunting for me to counter such pure and potent flames, even as a first-year student, to the extent that the title “Princess of Flames” didn’t seem unwarranted.

“Rise, O ice.”

Seeing her prepare so thoroughly, I too uttered a spell under my breath. The mana gathered at my fingertips had turned into small ice crystals, and as I exhaled, a cold chill emanated. Flame magic and ice magic are polar opposites. If they clash, the one with stronger magical power will prevail.

I know for sure that I’ll lose. I know. All I can do is create ice crystals. Even though, like that woman in front of me, I can transform mana’s attributes and materialize it, I cannot command that materialized substance.

The situation of fighting with just ice was simply terrifying.

“I think I can do more.”

“Sorry, but I don’t know. I’m just a commoner magician, isn’t this decent enough?”

“Then let’s try a little harder.”

At that moment, the flames formed around her quickly turned into a large circle and flew towards me. There was no way to stop the flame aimed directly at my chest. It was impossible to deflect it as before, so the answer was simple.

There was no way to block the swiftly approaching flames. Only to block it. I tightly clenched the ice crystal formed in my right hand, and a chill ran through my body. It would be difficult to block with the mana covering my whole body, but I had to try. As I grabbed the flames with my right hand, they surged as if they would burn me, and I gritted my teeth.

If I stop, I die, if I stop, I die, if I stop, I die. Once again, I gathered mana at my fingertips to create an ice crystal and clenched it.

The flames, still showing no sign of extinguishing, continued to burn my fingertips and consume my body. I felt like I was going to die. Can I die here?

I don’t want to die here, not in such a place.

I knew there was still much left to do here.

“Ice, rise up!”

With the incantation, another ice crystal wrapped around the flames. And at that moment, her voice was heard.

“Let’s stop here.”

And she snapped her fingers, and the flames that seemed about to engulf me were suddenly gathered on her fingertip.

“You are… truly insane.”

A rough breath escaped from my lips. Every time I exhaled, a cold breath, like the chill I had covered my body with earlier, flowed out. I forced myself to keep my eyes on her, afraid that if I closed them even for a moment, I would lose consciousness. She looked at me, laughed loudly, and took a step closer to me. The fire was gone, but the fear remained.

My right hand naturally clenched into a fist.

“Do you want to fight more?”

“If you’re asking me to fight, I don’t want to die.”

“Let’s talk. With that level of skill, it was clear that you weren’t an assassin trying to kill me… You’re from Aralia, so I can look into that. With that kind of mana control, you’re at a top level even among the first-year students at the Academy. It’s a shame there’s no direct attack.”

She smiled and reached out her right hand towards me. She was a strange person. It felt like I could smell her perfume from her nose. Royalty always had this effect. They had a dizzying scent and looked down on people.

“This was entertaining enough, Astan.”

Her smile was beautiful. In this trembling and freezing chill that made me feel like I would lose my mind, she was smiling at me. I caught the scent of roses. Just by smelling it, my eyes squinted, so it seemed that I didn’t like the smell of roses. It felt like my eyes were closing faster as if I might be overwhelmed by the smell.

“So, will you be my friend? It’s a rare opportunity.”

I spoke in response to her voice.

“I have no intention of being friends with someone who I think might set me on fire.”

Royalty are strange people.