episode_0017

“Ugh…my shoulder keeps aching…why is it so hot inside?”

Blaber rubbed his right shoulder.

The treatment for his dislocated shoulder, injured by Ras, was over, but an inexplicable pain persisted.

It wasn’t pain severe enough to stop him from doing anything, but it was an annoying, irritating, and uncomfortable sensation.

It felt like a burn, a faint burning pain that lingered like embers deep inside his shoulder.

Thanks to this, Blaber’s performance in the forest today was slightly worse than usual.

“Blaber, is your shoulder still not fully healed? You look a bit tired today…”

Glen, one of Blaber’s flunkies, asked cautiously. He couldn’t bring himself to say, “Your magic aim sucks today, sir.”

“I don’t know. It’s strange that I’m feeling this burning pain…that Ras bastard…what did he eat to be like that…it wasn’t magic, but it was…”

Blaber muttered softly, his voice trailing off.

As a descendant of Stipula, a renowned family of fire magic, he naturally had high resistance to fire magic.

Blaber’s childhood was filled with daily slaps and punches infused with real flames.

Yet, this heat felt unfamiliar even to Blaber.

It was like being hit by magma, the legendary substance said to burn flames themselves…but Blaber quickly shook his head.

Ras couldn’t possibly use fire magic that left more persistent aftereffects than the elders of his family; it must be his imagination. That was Blaber’s conclusion.

Blaber quickly rationalized that he must be feeling this way because his mental state had been damaged by someone as insignificant as Ras.

It seemed he would have to visit Professor Rosalie soon for another diagnosis and treatment.

Blaber briefly wondered if Professor Rosalie would indulge him if he appeared to be in a lot of pain.

*

Semere, Nine Heavens Annihilation Flame Art, bogus poison, actually an ancient elixir, stupid Irha Livingston.

His thoughts spread and accelerated like a wildfire.

Staring at the poison he couldn’t possibly trust…and therefore didn’t actually want to drink, he felt strange.

Ah…what kind of bloody ordeal did I go through in my past life to grow strong by consuming that?

I momentarily recalled the days in my previous life when I built up my strength.

What ignited the last spark in my body and mind, which had been reduced to ashes and despair, was Leon’s mockery directed at me.

Nurturing that tiny spark, from that day on, I imagined my veins and mana circuits filled with fire instead of blood and mana.

I threw all sorts of burning emotions—anger, helplessness, vengeance, determination to risk my life, and more—into the flame within my heart.

I relentlessly continued to imagine expelling the boiling heat from my body, unleashing it, and setting fires.

This was true during every moment: when I ate, when I lay down to sleep, when I washed, even when I relieved myself and cleaned up.

At the same time, I constantly threw myself into moth-like battles where I could easily be incinerated.

Sometimes in back alleys, then on battlefields, and finally in Kashmir’s arena…the battlegrounds changed, but the fighting never ceased.

That’s how I kept igniting flames in my life.

I had no doubt that the imagery I held within would become reality, and that ultimately, ★dreams would come true★.

A life where I burned my remaining years and myself, living only because I couldn’t die.

Despite clinging to it so desperately, it took several full years to properly manifest the realm of imagery.

Naturally, this was a method akin to a shortcut that no one could attempt.

It wasn’t mere fantasy or imagination; it was because actual, endless pain continued throughout that I could cling to it so fiercely.

My senses were ruined, mana would spontaneously ignite if I tried to accumulate it, my body withered from high fever, and I endured persistent burning pain.

Living 24 hours a day in such a state allowed me to engrave the flame into my imagery and expand its size.

Because even without specific effort, my body already felt as if it were buried in flames.

But the flame and realm I had built up and cultivated within my imagery were futilely gone after returning to the past…give me back my realm!

Is this why people say life is fleeting?

“By the way, Ras, I have a question.”

Suddenly, I, who had been lost in thought for a moment, snapped back to reality at Irha’s voice.

I looked up to see Irha holding and shaking the bogus (poison) potion bottle she had made herself.

“But why did you ask me to make this? Is this my job? Is it important? But…this looks really delicious! It tastes like recovery potion soda! *Slurp*…”

The girl stopped shaking the bottle, then actually opened the cap and was about to drink it.

Meanwhile, her eager smacking lips made it feel like she would gulp it down in an instant if left alone.

“Whoa…!! Hey!!! Give me that!! No!!!”

In a rush, I first stopped her with a loud shout, and Irha looked disheartened.

“Ras? Why are you suddenly angry?! That was a bit mean…!”

Regardless, I quickly snatched the potion bottle from Irha. That’s poison, you woman!

But then again, come to think of it, as Irha said, that basic recovery potion was delicious despite its poor performance.

Since its performance was poor but it had no significant side effects, tasted good, and was decent for quenching thirst, I’d sometimes seen people drink it as a substitute for soda.

Is that why, ten years ago, when I was thirsty, I just chugged one bottle in a single go…?

Wait, a single go?

Suddenly, a new plan came to mind, one that might be worth trying.

‘Ras…to become a good warrior, one must use their head well. But perhaps because your head is too hot, you sometimes make decisions as if your brain is cooked.’

Was it because I had spent too long living a moth-like life? I had a habit of executing a decision without looking back once I made it.

But now, after regression, maybe because the chronic burning pain was gone? My brain felt a bit cooler.

I decided.

Instead of drinking it all at once, I’d try dividing it and drinking it.

There was no clear basis for this way of thinking.

However, I had changed through regression, and the life ahead would also be different, so shouldn’t the way I consume the poison change too? That feeling was strong.

Oh, and there was something I needed to tell Irha.

“Irha. There’s something I need to tell you. Medicines…especially magical potions like these, shouldn’t be mixed carelessly. They can create side effects that weren’t there before.”

“….!!!!!”

Irha looked at me with a slightly dazed, shocked expression.

“Then…if I made a mistake, I almost made you drink something even worse…?”

I nodded and stroked her innocent head, then put the poison into my pocket.

“Yes. But it’s okay. You can learn what you don’t know. If you learn, and someday you can use that knowledge to resolve unknown situations, that’s enough.”

Irha blushed slightly and nodded.

Lunchtime ended that way, and now all that remained was to begin consuming the poison at the appropriate time.

Seeing Irha’s carefree and foolish demeanor, an unfounded conviction grew within him that this life would somehow be better.

*

“This year’s first-years are quite decent. Though, there’s no one quite like me. What do you all think?”

“…..”

Long, wavy black hair, ruby-red eyes, healthy pale skin, and a tall stature.

An arrogant yet charming woman, true to her appearance, sat arrogantly, muttering as she turned her eyes to the screens projecting the forest.

Surveillance magic installed throughout the Maugenberg Forest performed its function flawlessly, broadcasting the students’ struggles.

Relaxed students, those performing adequately, and those struggling were all being evaluated by the faculty.

This woman, who confidently posed questions in a place where many professors gathered, was surprisingly not a professor.

“As I always say…this is the academy, and you must show respect to the professors. Even if you are a princess, that doesn’t change. Why are you even sitting in the professors’ seats anyway…go do your work.”

It was Professor Isera Bernstein who received the woman’s words with a resolute tone.

“Ah…yes…my apologies…no, I apologize, ‘Professor-nim’. Although we’re outside the academy, I forgot this is an academy event. Well…it is also my time to focus on recruiting talent.”

The woman who responded with a chuckle was Skada Eisenstein da Sephiroth, a student at Leone and the Second Princess of the Sephiroth Empire.

Having enrolled last year, she was now a second-year student and had come along for this evaluation test as part of the student council.

She had plenty of reasons: to find talent, to help with school affairs, and to see how capable her damned younger sibling was…in any case, she had a rich agenda.

Although quite a few professors watched the princess, there were also professors like Isera who didn’t particularly care and spoke their minds.

Skada, who disliked flattery and was a meritocrat, respected capable individuals like Isera.

“This year’s first-years are quite good, Professor-nim, but was there anyone in particular you found impressive? Besides…this idiot Leon.”

Isera chuckled and sat next to Skada.

“Well…first, as you know, Marisa. You’re well acquainted with her, so I won’t bother explaining. Ah…and recently, I found an astonishing new talent.”

“For such a high evaluation to come from you, Professor-nim, they must be truly remarkable.”

Skada’s eyes gleamed with interest, like a professional sports scout drooling over new talent, and she smacked her lips.

“Remarkable indeed. Have you heard of Ras Etgard? In my opinion, he’s better than you. So I plan to nurture him well…Oh, there he is! My Ras!”

Someone better than her, a genius among geniuses? Skada knew that Isera didn’t speak idly and that her eye for talent was exceptional.

So, following Professor Isera’s finger and gaze, she turned her eyes to the screen…

“He…he’s fainted…?”

Just at that moment, Ras swayed like a sky dancer in the wind and then collapsed face first.

“What in the…!”

Isera was utterly flustered…!

*

It’s already been three days since Ras suddenly collapsed.

In the Maugenberg Forest, during the evaluation, Ras collapsed, leaving behind only unknown words and actions.

So…what happened then was…

…….

“Irha. From now on, no matter what I do, don’t be surprised. And from now on, any questions directed at you, just say you don’t know. Understood?”

Ras, who had seemed to be seriously contemplating something for a while, discreetly spoke to me.

Ras sometimes does and says things out of the blue like this.

Just earlier, he suddenly asked me to conscientiously mix the bad medicine Emma gave me into a recovery potion…

Anyway, today’s Ras is a bit strange…! Though he’s handsome and cool, just like always.

“Huh? Don’t know?? What are you going to do?”

I asked back with a bewildered tone and expression.

Oh no…! I really need to fix this expression and way of speaking.

I look too stupid…and Ras probably likes a crisp, ladylike way of speaking like Lizley.

I should also speak smartly…! More than wanting to impress Ras…that’s right! I’m a subordinate, a superior one at that.

“It’s nothing. Anyway, you just don’t know anything. This is how it has to be from now on for Mirha to live. Understood? Promise me. When the boss orders, a subordinate doesn’t ask questions or argue.”

Ras continued to speak incomprehensibly, but regardless of the content, I could feel his concern for me.

Ras, what on earth are you worried about? Why do you keep worrying about me?

“I don’t know…I’m scared…but I understand. Mirha has to live. And a subordinate must listen to their boss.”

What was important, anyway, was Mirha’s life, and that I was Ras’s subordinate.

I had a bagful of questions I wanted to ask, but I changed my mind.

Once we build a little more trust and affection…no, friendship, Ras will tell me more and more, right?

With the hope that such a day would come soon, I decided to be obedient.

“That’s a good kid, she is. So pretty for listening well. Unlike someone else who lives somewhere.”

Ras chuckled, then pulled a potion bottle from his pocket and opened the cap.

That’s the one I made earlier…the one Ras said was like a bad poison, right?

Why is he taking that out?! He said it was bad for him…! When I looked at him with that expression, Ras let out a small laugh and reassured me.

“Irha. When Mirha’s illness is all better, let’s go to Hiols and have a meal together. With Teacher Rosalie too.”

As Ras brought the potion bottle to his lips, I saw his hand tremble slightly.

In his slightly pale expression and trembling lips, I saw Ras’s fear.

*Gulp-*

About a quarter of the liquid in the potion bottle went down Ras’s throat without a moment’s hesitation, and…

“Ah…ugh…so this is what it was like…even just this much gives a taste…no…I should still drink more than this…”

Ras, having emptied about half of it, looked at me with bloodshot eyes.

And then he poured all the remaining contents of the bottle onto the ground.

As if to say, such a thing had never been created.

Ras trembled and swayed, then looked at me and left his last words.

It was like when he coached me while I sparred with Lizley…but unlike then, no sound came from his mouth.

Perhaps I could understand what Ras’s words were just from his gaze alone?

‘Irha. Don’t worry, just wait. I’ll wake up fine…Take care of yourself.’

And so Ras collapsed and was moved to the Leone infirmary.

Intense high fever, unconsciousness, coughing up blood, and spasmodic cardiac arrest continued for two days.

His condition was so critical that Teacher Rosalie had to dedicate herself to him, forsaking food and drink for two days straight.

Fortunately…since this morning, Ras’s condition has stabilized considerably.

His raging fever has subsided a lot, and his face looks much more peaceful without any cardiac arrest or coughing up blood.

Phew, I came out for a breath of fresh air, but now I should go back in!

Believing that our boss will definitely wake up today.

I opened the door and entered the infirmary again…

“Where…am I…”

A familiar voice greeted me.

“I can’t feel anything below…what on earth happened…”

Ah…! But it seems something terrible has happened.

Ras!!! Are you really okay?!