Ch.275Grown NPC. (1)

“That’s truly bizarre!!”

[Calling what Lady Ira did bizarre, I’ll report this to her later.]

“You!! Since you’re just getting a free ride on my back without doing anything, can we stop that?!”

After finishing cleaning the Count’s mansion and making my one-sided announcement, I was running at full speed with Gor on my back. Originally, I shouldn’t have been able to run this fast since I needed her guidance, but the situation had completely changed. I can’t possibly not know where Ira is now!!

[That seems completely unrelated to what we’re talking about?]

“Should I drop you?! Should I leave you here?! Don’t forget that I can go alone without you now?!!”

[Ah, please don’t abandon me. That’s really unfair…]

“Who’s being unfair?!! Besides, even Gor was surprised when you first saw that!!”

Yes, the road signs Ira left behind. No, would calling those things “signs” be too inhumane? When I shouted at the sight of the teleporting line(?) of human guides, Gor skillfully changed the subject.

[I was merely impressed by Lady Ira’s excellent magical skills and tremendous magical power.]

“Really!! If only you couldn’t talk!!”

The sight of people appearing and disappearing at intervals of about 20 meters is quite frightening to see at night. Perhaps that’s why I keep talking to Gor without realizing it, but I can’t move away because I don’t want to see that, and if I did, Gor would have to guide me again, which would slow us down.

But how many of those teleport points did she set up? I knew Ira was smart, but now I’m even afraid of her talents.

[She always had abundant magical power, which made her suitable for the path of a mage that the master wished for her. Besides, you’re the one who made Lady Ira defeat every monster we encountered on the way to the Empire.]

“That’s because! If there was a way to improve Ira’s skills for her safety, there was no reason to hold back. You agreed to this after discussing it with me, didn’t you?!”

Yes, on our way to the Empire. To avoid leaving traces, we ran avoiding all areas where people lived and traveled, and because of that, we encountered monsters day and night. At first, Gor and I were going to handle them ourselves, but feeling a bit anxious about Ira’s level being just over 90, we wanted to help her level up. And the result…

[Although it was for Lady Ira’s safety, I never said she had to defeat ALL of them. Sob, poor Lady Ira. She was abused by Ray.]

“That’s so unfair!! I’m going to tell Jack about you later!! I’ll tell him everything about how useless you’ve become, and make him hate you!!!”

[…Are you declaring war?]

“Want to?!! Do you think I’ll lose?!!!”

At first, the three of us handled a few monsters together. Then, as time passed and Ira began to adapt, she and Piyaki could handle them on their own, so we left everything to them. We killed every monster we encountered on the way, and even sought out ones we detected but hadn’t met. Because of that.

[Hmph. Fine. I’m not a child, and I’ll receive the master’s favor based on my own charm and the achievement of helping Lady Ira grow.]

“Don’t be ridiculous?!! Ira’s level rising by ‘200’ in just one week is MY achievement, isn’t it?!!”

Yes, Ira’s level actually jumped from 80 to over 120 after leaving the Academy. The monsters we encountered along the way were unusually strong, but Ira overcame them and used them all as material for her level-ups.

Wait, you call what I did “abuse” but what you did an “achievement”?! Gor, you’re speaking more fluently now, but why are you treating me so harshly?!

[…Come to think of it, I do tend to treat you harshly for some reason. Why is that?]

“Huh? What’s with that sudden nonsense…”

-Flinch!!

I frowned at Gor’s incomprehensible words, but only for a moment. I looked in the direction of the overwhelmingly high magical power I felt from afar. And…

“…The sun?”

I muttered blankly as I saw a massive sphere of flame in the distant sky, illuminating everything from there to here, and Gor answered my question.

[Insane. Master called Lady Ira the air and sun of his life, but does she really intend to become the actual sun?]

“…Are you saying that’s magic cast by Ira?”

[More precisely, it’s from Piyaki. But since Lady Ira is the only one who can command Piyaki, it’s her power.]

So, that’s not magic but spirit arts. Understanding Gor’s explanation that way, I felt a bit dizzy even as I continued running. Ira, who can now use teleportation magic and even create a small sun with spirit arts. What on earth is this strange growth?

“…There are no more people coming by teleport now, but getting lost despite seeing that would be impossible unless you’re seriously directionally challenged.”

[Then, I pray Ray isn’t directionally challenged.]

Ignoring Gor who keeps verbally attacking me for some reason, I increase my speed toward the falling sun.

I’m not worried that Ira might be in danger. Rather, I’m concerned that if we arrive too late, there will be nothing left for us to do, as Ira will have resolved everything herself.

-Swoosh!!

“Hold tight. I’m going to use skills to run faster.”

[No, I can’t move at a…?!!!]

Ignoring the slime text Gor created, I kick off the ground with all my might and run. To reach her side before that sun falls and burns away completely.

“[Swift Blade]”

The golden swordsman became a shining wind in the dark night.

*

Only one person in this world knows the reason for Ira’s explosive growth. However, the blue-haired woman who should explain this to Ray, Gor, and the girl Grace who has lost her words after witnessing the results of that explosive growth firsthand, is not present here. So, to briefly represent the thoughts and conclusions she reached while watching Ira at the Academy:

[She grew up watching her brother who had extraordinary strength from a young age. Moreover, she accumulated experiences that ordinary people would never have, or might have once in a lifetime, from the age of 8 while traveling with that brother.]

[It’s a simple story. A carpenter’s son becomes a carpenter. A soldier’s son becomes a soldier. A knight’s son becomes a knight. A mage’s child becomes a mage. A king’s heir becomes king. They grow that way because they accumulate experience and receive education earlier than others.]

[Even if she couldn’t rationally understand my brother’s strength because she was young, the fact that her brother is ‘strong’ was always engraved in her body and mind. And other strong individuals gathered around that strong brother. Ray, Gor, and even me with my different direction but self-proclaimed intelligence. The common sense that ‘these are the strong ones of this world’ was engraved in her.]

[And when she started receiving proper education with those strong ones as her goal, she was 10 years old. She learned writing and arithmetic from me, the basics of magic from an old elf elder named Green Stone, and the practical application of magic with a staff her brother bought her. Additionally, with the help of the ‘level’ system that only Jack and Gor knew about in this world, she grew with more support than anyone else from a young age. The explosion of her innate talent would be natural even if it wasn’t Ira specifically.]

[When I saw her explosive growth in skills and talent at the Academy after arriving in Natie and contracting with a high-class spirit, I felt it. This child will certainly grow like me… no, perhaps even more excellently than me, and with the Headmaster’s education added, she’ll grow even more explosively. By my estimation, Ira might completely catch up to the Headmaster around her late teens or early twenties?]

[It’s a good story. That’s what Jack would want. Just, a person too exceptional is… no, no matter how exceptional she becomes, she certainly won’t be alone like me, so this isn’t a problem. Anyway, in my opinion, the time it would take for Ira to learn magic and spirit arts to the Headmaster’s level at the Academy wouldn’t even require going to high school. Surely at this rate…]

In one year, Ira will absorb all the basics of every technique the Headmaster teaches.

*

“That’s a lie.”

“Huh? What is?”

When Ira tilted her head curiously at the words I unconsciously let slip, I blurted out my question while looking at her.

“Piyaki was definitely said to be a low-class spirit. But this power is clearly at the level of a high-class spirit no matter how you look at it, Ira. Just what are you and Piyaki…”

“…Ah.”

When I unintentionally pressed her in front of the massive fireball that had swallowed the confident Billion Helm and three priests, Ira began to look troubled.

…Is it something you can’t tell even me, your friend?

“Nnngh…!! No! I’ll tell you! But, only Grace should know, okay? And, tell Latina together with me later!!”

“Oh, okay.”

Rather than being upset that I pressed her, Ira seemed to think it was natural and even apologized before telling me the truth.

…What? A highest-class spirit? Phoenix?! That tiny sparrow?!!

“Piyak!”

“Yes! Piyaki is a highest-class spirit and not a sparrow but a chick! And he’s my friend who the Spirit King contracted to me through my brother!!”

Ha, hahaha. Now I don’t know what’s what anymore. I just understand that Ira is not a child who can be confined by titles like elementary division valedictorian. But.

-Squeeze!

“Ira!!”

“Yes?”

When I gripped her hand a bit strongly and spoke energetically, Ira tilted her head as usual. And thinking how cute it was that Piyaki, who had somehow perched on Ira’s head, also tilted his head the same way, I opened my mouth.

“Come with me. Let’s live together forever!!”

“…Huh?”

Ah, because my head was in such a mess, I blurted out words without filtering them, causing Ira to widen her galaxy-like purple eyes in surprise.

Wait, this sounds like a proposal, but that’s not what I meant…!! I just don’t want to lose someone as talented, kind, and cute as you…!!! No, saying it like this makes it sound even more like a proposal!!!

“…Really? You’ll stay with me forever? But I need to be with my brother? I might need to travel more, is that okay?”

“Huh? Y-yes, of course! I also think it would be nice if Ira’s brother could live with us in our territory someday…!!”

-Hug!!

“Thank you!! I’m so glad you’re my friend, Grace!!!”

Ira cut off my words and hugged me with joy.

Um, what’s happening? Ira, are you perhaps that way?