episode_0327

Episode 327

After resealing Luke’s tomb, we returned to the garrison.

It is the tomb of King Luke. I don’t know exactly how much material from that time remains, but at least the sword he used remains.

Once the situation in the kingdom stabilizes, we plan to form an investigation team in earnest. It will also help spread the truth about Enekra.

I hope this gives Enekra some comfort.

The expression “achievement of Buddhahood…” would not be appropriate. Because Enekra’s soul has now passed through another world and become me.

“…Huh…?”

I looked down at my hands and was surprised.

Dark blue waves were faintly flowing along the outline of the palm.

This is… mana, right?

I concentrated a little bit and tried to control it. It is easy to operate like a real limb. It was much easier than manipulating the magic contained in the grimoire or the magic instilled by Carmel.

Is it because it is my own mana and not someone else’s? However, I knew that I had a constitution that did not produce any mana, so why suddenly…

No, maybe that idea was wrong.

Rather than asking, ‘Why did I suddenly start producing mana?’, you may need to think, ‘Why was I of a constitution that did not generate mana?’

Mana is a manifestation of the inner self. The soul is a spring that becomes the source of water and flows out.

However, my soul did not contain only my consciousness. Even after experiencing two previous lives, Enekra existed with a faint sense of self.

Although I received help from the Mana Well, it may have actually meant that Enekra’s presence was residing there and interfering with my natural mana.

Whatever the reason, it is clear that I now have the power to generate mana. The sea-green mana spreading like flames from my fingertips was a clear reality.

I went straight to Carmel to deliver this good news.

Juliana had already visited Carmel’s room and was drinking tea and chatting. I got straight to the point to the two people who welcomed me warmly.

“Mother, Juliana and I can now control mana!”

“What are you talking about? It’s been like that from the beginning.”

“No, that’s not it… No, it would be quicker to show you in person.”

I released my mana and gently enveloped the two people. This is a waste of mana that would have been unimaginable when relying on the meager mana of the grimoire.

Like a well with no end, the total amount of mana inside me was unusual. Although it was not as good as Carmel, who absorbed Mystilia’s enormous mana, it seemed to be enough for the average grimoire holder.

I am no longer the person of the past who had to worry about depleting mana after casting a few spells. The corners of my mouth naturally rise at the richness of mana I feel for the first time.

“What is this… really…?”

“Amazing, amazing, princess!”

These two are also skilled magicians. I think I realized as soon as I touched it that it was my own mana, not borrowed.

Unlike the magical power contained in the Book of Enekra, which is dark green, mine is distinctly blue. Although this is a fact that only I, who possesses magical power, can know.

“Mana with such a dense concentration… It’s amazing! Even within our academy, no one has reached this level…”

Unlike Juliana, who clapped her hands and was happy as if it were her own, Carmel had a sad look on her face with her eyes only half open.

“And it has grown again…?”

“Um… that’s how it happened, I’m sorry, mother.”

“Ugh…!”

I was planning on being happy together rather than bragging, but it seems that Carmel doesn’t take it that way. But I like it best when Carmel makes a face like that.

A face that is angry, but even if you try to pretend not to be angry as much as possible, it doesn’t work out as expected. He feigns calmness, but his mouth sticks out sharply. The eyes are like that too.

Carmel looked at me with that face, felt my mana with her whole body, and suddenly spoke.

“…Tell me you need me.”

“Yes?”

“Even if you overwhelm me with magic, even if you no longer need my advice or help… you still say you need me.”

It was too natural to even be called a request.

No, actually, I have never needed anything from Carmel. Carmel’s very existence was a necessity for me.

“Of course. I always need my mother. Until the day I die.”

“Okay… That’s it. I’ll say congratulations, Sarah.”

Although it’s still a little bit sharp, I don’t think I’ll say mean things out of inferiority or jealousy like before. This probably means that Carmel has also grown in her own way.

Carmel’s face was turning red, as if she was embarrassed by what she had said. I feel like I’m suddenly feeling a little embarrassed too. Juliana was glancing back and forth between me and Carmel with a somewhat reprimanded look on her face, as if I could hear her voice saying, ‘Oh my!’

“Um… Would you like some tea too?”

“Uh, yes, yes…”

Carmel took out another teacup and poured it for me herself. Bright orange liquid falls into the teacup. My face still felt hot along with the citrus scent.

The last tea party at the Northern Fortress ended in such an awkward atmosphere.

* * *

“Princess Sera has just returned to Nortriero for an inspection, father.”

“Hmm, how was it?”

“There was some noise, but Margrave Wichard once again pledged his loyalty to the Lustier royal family. We were also able to confirm that the empire is burning its ambitions to invade our kingdom.”

I gave a brief summary of what happened so far. When Fehat heard that, he sighed deeply.

“Thank you for your hard work, Sarah. If you say so, it must be true. Phew… Actually, we are struggling with that problem here in Lurie as well.”

“For that matter… of the Empire? Did something happen?”

“It is a letter. A few days before your return, an imperial envoy delivered a letter from the imperial family. It was a letter notifying the fourth princess, Lysia Lumiar, of her plan to visit.”

“The princess of the empire… Is that really true?”

“Okay.”

“Specifically, when?”

“3 days from now. The ministers and I are having long discussions every day to understand the intention.”

The imperial princess is visiting in person. It’s worth it. Because I too couldn’t hide my surprise after hearing that story just now.

“We need to talk in a little more detail, father. I will also tell you in more detail what I experienced in North Korea.”

“Mmm. So then.”

In the short time we hadn’t seen each other, Fehat seemed to have aged considerably. It seemed like he wasn’t just exhausted from the continuous discussions.

I went into the inner room with Fehat and had a more detailed conversation.

* * *

I briefly summarized what I heard from Fehat.

Lycia Lumiar. The 4th princess.

He is a person well positioned to compete for succession to the throne. However, from what has been seen so far, there is nothing that can be called superficial achievements.

It seems that there is quite a lot of activity in the empire’s social circles. That seems to be her specialty and support base. Gaining the favor of nobles.

However, that alone is not enough to become an emperor. What she lacks is performance. To become the head of an empire that prided itself on being the greatest on the continent, something more tangible and tangible was needed.

Maybe that’s our Lustier.

If you want to deal with the princes who fly and crawl in industry, war, and internal affairs, you will have to conquer the kingdom to win. Even if it’s a reckless challenge, there’s nothing you can do if that’s the only option.

But if so, what is the purpose of the visit?

Given the circumstances, Ian was probably dispatched by those seeking to invade Lustier. However, it does not fit the schedule for him to have informed his home country that the plan to capture the northern fortress had gone awry.

This visit may be for a more national reason.

You probably want to see with your own eyes the royal family’s attitude towards the imperial princess, the level of national defense, and the depth of magic that the kingdom boasts.

“It’s an empire…”

In the novels I read, the empire did not feature that much. After all, Carmel’s great entertainment show was the main focus. But it was clearly at the point of bringing in the empire that the direct destruction of the kingdom began.

Princess Licia is also a name that does not appear at all in the novel. I had to guess what kind of person she was based on the information I had so far.

The first thing that comes to mind is boldness. A powerful enemy who does not trust short-circuited information and survives the terrifying imperial court with only his own judgment, intuition, and ability to act. It would be good to think of it that way.

Conversely, it can be seen as an opportunity. My magic is the type that immediately guarantees victory the moment it is cast. However, there is no way that the princess of the Imperial Empire would have let her defenses down against him.

There is a possibility that Quintras and Iscarade themselves are included in the delegation. With a contract to neutralize me.

“Phew…”

3 days from now. It is too early to visit to plan for detailed response. Perhaps this was also included in the calculation.

I sighed slightly and looked at my hands. Watching the blue mana bloom, I feel like my mind is calming down a bit.

Princess Licia. As I clenched my fists, thinking of her whose face I still didn’t even know, the mana around me spread powerfully.