Chapter 130 – Elixir

Tap tap, Sparkle’s soft hands patted my chest.

[ Ronan. ]

“Why.”

I slipped my hand into my clothes and pulled out Sparkle.

Dangling limply by the scruff of her neck, Sparkle wore a stern expression with her lips dragged down in a deep frown.

[ It’s not the world from 400 years ago anymore. ]

“So?”

[ You don’t have to force yourself to think that way. ]

“Force…? What are you talking about?”

A tiny sigh escaped Sparkle’s little mouth.

[ I know how much hardship you went through back then because of the affection you all carried. But you don’t need to do that anymore. Especially you, Ronan. You were always the one with the most affection among your comrades… So you don’t have to force yourself to be the bad guy. ]

“Don’t say pointless things.”

I flicked Sparkle on the head and set her on the floor.

[ Ack! I was being nice, why’d you hit me! ]

“Go now.”

[ No. I’m going to keep talking before I leave. ]

“It’s not like today’s your last day here. Go while I’m asking nicely.”

[ What if you don’t ask nicely? ]

Sparkle, looking up at me from the floor, fluttered up and sat on my shoulder.

[ Are you going to hit me again? ]

“I’ll rip your neck off.”

[ Eek. ]

She seemed to recall the memory from my grave, clutching her own head and glaring at me, though her arms were too short to cover it all.

Watching that pitiful sight, I couldn’t even muster a hollow laugh.

“I only said it like that. I don’t really plan to kill Ophelia.”

[ …Really? ]

“Yeah. You should know by now. Just like how the world’s changed a lot, I’ve changed a lot too.”

I remembered those three who couldn’t stop chattering without a single pause.

In my previous life, I would never have become friends with those three. Forget friendship, Stella might have already been dead by my hand.

Why? There were plenty of reasons.

But I didn’t kill her.

I listened to Stella’s story first, thought about it, judged, and ultimately decided to keep her close and trust her.

Yurasia and Pina.

I wouldn’t have killed them, but I definitely wouldn’t have become friends.

I’d have been too busy focusing on my own growth to bother with little kids whose futures were uncertain.

I was a bastard. Beyond cold, I was trash. I won’t make excuses that I had no choice.

It was simply the result of a choice I made to change myself.

Whether it was an enemy, a former comrade, a teacher, whoever it was, I killed without hesitation.

I lived calculatingly, eliminating unnecessary attachment.

I didn’t trust people or accept goodwill at face value.

But now, I’m trying to help everyone grow.

Why? Maybe, just as Sparkle said, these actions are my true nature now.

Or… maybe I’m just tired.

Whatever it is, I’ve changed.

Whether this change will be a benefit or a loss… who knows.

I guess only time will tell.

[ Hmm… That’s true. But Ronan, right now, no, never mind. ]

“If you’re going to talk, finish it. If not, don’t even start. Why stop in the middle? Want to die?”

[ Your mouth is still as filthy as ever! Ronan! I told you, don’t talk like that with that face! It’s a waste of a pretty face! ]

“I know I’m pretty. I also know I have a filthy mouth. And you know what else?”

Sparkle’s hand, which had been poking my cheek while perched on my shoulder, stopped.

I grabbed Sparkle’s small head.

“I know exactly how to torment you.”

[ Aaah! My head! You grabbed my head again! I’m going to go back! Huh?! Back to the Spirit Realm?! ]

“You wouldn’t leave when I told you to, so why are you threatening to leave now? And if you run off, are you not going to see me again? If so, try it.”

[ Ugh… Ugh! You’re so mean! And you have a terrible personality! ]

“I know. On top of that, I’m violent too.”

Holding Sparkle’s head between my thumb and forefinger, I slowly kneaded it. Her screams grew louder and her squishy body trembled.

[ I-I’ll talk! I said I’ll talk! You’re really going to pull it off!! I’m dying!! ]

“Talk.”

[ I’ll only say it if you let goooo! Kyaaaaa! ]

Chuckling, I let go of Sparkle’s head.

After taking a big breath and glaring at me, Sparkle hurriedly smoothed her ruffled fur and scampered up to sit on top of my head.

[ I’m going to get bald spots because of you, Ronan. ]

“What’s it matter, you’re just a spirit form. Even if I pull your neck off, you’ll just pop back. Don’t be dramatic.”

[ You never lose an argument. ]

Sighing again, Sparkle cleared her throat.

[ I’ll only say this once, so listen carefully. ]

“What, are you about to tell me something so important, ”

[ If Ronan in your previous life was ridiculously masculine, the Ronan now is pure female! ]

“…What… what? What did you say? Pu… Pure female?”

[ Ronan, you’re a perfect woman now! ]

Flash! Cherry blossom-colored mana flared. [Martial Spirit]. My arm shot out at a speed even demons couldn’t react to. But, 

[ You can’t catch me! Dummy! Girl Ronan! ]

Sparkle’s form slipped away.

As a beam of sunlight streamed through the window, Sparkle left my head behind.

[ See! Even now, you’re sitting so primly in that chair! Wearing a cute apron! Your hair’s done up like a bride at a wedding! And what was it you said earlier? That it’s lucky you’re a girl? That’s basically admitting you’ve accepted being a woman! ]

Legs. They were together. Why? Because I was wearing a skirt and didn’t want my underwear to show. Not that I’d care with friends, but it’d feel bad for strangers to see.

But why am I sitting with my legs together when I’m alone?

Apron. I put it on to clean up what Stella spilled.

Pink rabbit pattern. Yurasia picked it out. Not that there was much choice, this was the only one in my size. I’d forgotten to take it off.

Hair? It kept getting sweaty and annoying, so I asked Yurasia to tie it up for me. I haven’t looked in the mirror, so I don’t know how it looks. But what’s this about a bride’s hair at a wedding?

And when I said it was a relief Sparkle’s a girl?

That… that.

“Shit…”

I don’t know. I really don’t.

Just looking down at my own body.

Going over my own actions.

…Honestly, these are all things only girls would do.

“You… you bastard. You flying squirrel brat. Don’t you ever even think about coming out into the world again.”

[ Wow! Ronan, are you sure your face isn’t going to explode? You’re not just red, you’re about to get cooked! ]

Blood dripped from the fist I’d clenched in horrible rage. Sparkle saw that and healed the wound with a faint light, giggling as she did.

[ Still, I like the current Ronan better. You always wore such a grim expression before. Actually, you all did. You all wanted to be human more than anyone, clung to your humanity more desperately than anyone, but in the end, you all chose to become monsters. ]

“…Shut up.”

[ So… I like seeing you as you are now. Hehe. ]

After all that noisy, infuriating chatter, Sparkle’s voice suddenly softened.

[ You, heroes who suffered more than anyone, who longed more than anyone, who had to walk such a terrible path, at the end of it, I hope you can be happier than anyone. ]

Words spoken with the weight of 400 years behind them.

With a voice carrying profound depth, Sparkle vanished after finishing those words.

“Why get all serious out of nowhere? Tch.”

I pressed my burning cheeks and flopped into my chair. Then, looking at the faint afterimage of Sparkle’s light, I made a vow.

Next time, I’d definitely erase her.

“Female? F-female?”

Then I uncapped the Celestial Ocean Essence Elixir and chugged it in one go.

“Next time I see her, I’ll have to cut off her arm.”

Four hours later, the absorption of the elixir was complete.

I gave the kids two kinds of elixirs, but I took three in total.

Celestial Ocean Essence Elixir.

The Dragonblood Elixir I’d also given to Mom.

And the Sky Pill.

The others couldn’t handle it, but I could, so I took it. I could probably take more, but for now, this much was enough.

“Hoo…”

It’s definitely different.

Even in the Eustetia Duchy, I’d tried all kinds of elixirs, but this Sky Pill is several times better than even the best ones from the Empire.

And the Dragonblood Elixir is twice as good as the Sky Pill.

Celestial Ocean Essence Elixir raises the quantity and quality of mana.

Dragonblood Elixir boosts the body’s capabilities.

Sky Pill hones the senses even sharper.

“This feels like cheating…”

In my previous life, I struggled endlessly to get stronger and only got elixirs like these after toppling the demon cities… This time, I got them after taking down one lousy Black Magician. Feels weird.

“These days, they call that freeloading, don’t they… Not bad. Actually, I like it.”

I think I understand now why Luna dreamed of hitting it big in one go.

I snickered, tossed aside my sweat-soaked clothes, and stepped into the center of the training ground.

Time to review my fight with Samaela.

Normally, I’d just go over it in my head.

That alone was always more than enough for me.

But this time, I’d move my body.

I’d taken the elixirs, my period was over, and the rebound from Purgatory had completely faded.

I’m in great shape.

Time: 2 p.m. Good. I won’t leave the training ground until bedtime today.

I even stocked the fridge with lunchboxes for this.

Review the fight.

Fix what I lacked.

Use Inch Punch for the first time and smash that stupid black iron scarecrow over there.

That’s today’s goal.

Crack, crack. 

While rolling my neck, I burst forth mana.

* * *

Crack!

“Hyaa…”

Rumble!

At last, the scarecrow collapsed.

Shattered pieces of black iron scattered across the training ground. I could wonder when I’d ever get around to cleaning it up, but the satisfaction filling my chest pushed those thoughts away.

How long did it take? Seven hours.

Excluding the battle review, I spent three hours just on Inch Punch.

Twice as fast as I expected.

Unbelievable.

“…Am I a genius or what?”

I slathered potion onto my bleeding fists and torn muscles and sank to the floor.

I savored the lingering sensation of that last Inch Punch in my hands.

Compared to my first try against Samaela, no, honestly, that last strike was so clean it’d be insulting to compare them.

But it’s hard. Really hard.

If your form slips even a little, there’s no power behind it.

Not that it’s totally powerless, but at that point, you might as well just elbow the target instead.

“Hm…”

Arisa used this move so casually.

Back then I thought, huh, so that’s the famous Inch Punch? But now that I’m actually doing it, she was on a whole other level.

They say it’s not just hard to reach the heights of a martial artist, just surviving is tough. I get it now.

Seriously, if my own fist hurts more than my target, what’s the point?

Sure, it’d hurt less if I wrapped it in Aura, but what about when I can’t use Aura?

I’ve always thought this, but martial artists really are fundamentally flawed.

Just look at Samaela’s Yamata-no-Orochi technique.

I beat the hell out of that Yamata-no-Orochi. But her body didn’t even have a scratch, not even a single scale fell off.

It was my own fists that got demolished.

“…It’s ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Why cling to fists when you’ve got perfectly good weapons? Must be because their brains are underdeveloped.”

Even now, my right hand still tingling and my arm sore, I swung them around as I stood up.

I broke the scarecrow, but it wasn’t perfect.

I need to get used to using it in various stances and situations.

But before that.

Food. I need to eat first.

Today, since I’ll have to use my left hand, I should pick something I can eat with just a spoon or fork… hmm.

Rose pasta.

Sarah always nags at me to use a spoon with my fork to keep the sauce from splattering, but I never do. I don’t want to.

It’s easier to just bury my face and eat.

Humming a song I once heard in the capital, I took out the pasta and put it in the microwave, setting the timer for five minutes.

While I waited, I wiped away all the sweat from every part of my body.

When I tossed the thoroughly soaked towel onto the chair, ding! The microwave went off.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the training hall door.

Who could it be at this hour?

The only person who’d come is… maybe Yurasia?

“Yurasia?”

“It’s the Flame Empress.”

“…What?”

“I came to hear the story you never told me. Will you open the door?”

The Flame Empress had come to the academy.