episode_0030

“……”

“……”

Awkwardness hung in the room. The cool and calm Ena that she usually showed was nowhere to be seen; she kept covering her clearly revealed cleavage, as if conscious of Asel’s gaze, and glanced at Asel sideways. Asel tried his best not to stare at her, repeatedly generating and extinguishing his magic pointlessly.

Magic ejected in thread form drew threads in the air. Threads of magic moving without any change in property. Asel flexibly manipulated them, trying to erase his thoughts. Thankfully, while doing so, the destructive scene he had seen earlier subsided to some extent.

‘……There was a mole there.’

It came back to mind. Asel twisted his face strongly and began manipulating the magic threads more actively. What kind of imagination was he having about the teacher who saved him, who was like the sky? He felt like he was going to drown in self-loathing and inner demons.

Although he had memories from a past life, Asel’s physical and mental age was no different from someone who had just become an adult. Until now, living absorbed in magic, he hadn’t known well, but he clearly possessed sexual desire. It was just that its level was a bit lower than others due to his thirst for magical knowledge. If only an opportunity was given like this, it was ready to surge explosively at any time.

However, he wondered what it was like for the other person to be Ena. An impropriety that went beyond disrespect to rudeness. Asel quickly controlled his emotions and desires and looked back at Ena with a calmed heart. Ena trembled slightly in her shoulders at that gaze.

“You are beautiful, Teacher. You should always dress like that.”

“……Always dress like this?”

“I’m sorry……”

The atmosphere just became strange after unnecessarily saying something. Asel let out a cough and extinguished all the magic threads he was winding.

“Even so, the statement that you are beautiful is sincere.”

“……Thank you. I haven’t worn a dress since I was a child, so I wasn’t sure if it would suit me, but if you like it, I like it too. Although the exposure is a little bothersome.”

Saying so, Ena subtly removed the hand that was covering her chest. Asel’s gaze was about to move there for a moment, but for him, who had already overcome anguish, overcoming desire was not a difficult task. He leaned his body against the backrest and let out a small laugh.

A faint hint of disappointment mixed in Ena’s expression at that reaction. A tiny emotion that not even Asel, or even she herself, noticed. She didn’t notice the emotion that had just taken root and hadn’t even sprouted yet.

“You know how the Coming-of-Age Ceremony is conducted, right?”

Ena tilted her head and asked. Asel recalled the contents written in the letter and nodded his head.

“Yes. Isn’t it just enjoying it roughly, then the elders come out, bring out the magical artifacts, and you choose one, and it’s over?”

“That’s right. The items coming out today are all in good condition. I checked them separately yesterday.”

The thought ‘Isn’t that something you shouldn’t do?’ crossed his mind, but Ena is strictly speaking one of the elders of the Witch Society. It’s just that she hasn’t officially taken the position herself. The position for her was still vacant. This part showed how special and cherished she was within the Witch Society. For someone like her, it wouldn’t have been that difficult to tell her the list of magical artifacts for the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, which were kept strictly confidential.

‘They say the elders’ interest in me is immense.’

Although 8 years had already passed since Asel joined the Witch Society, he had never met the elders directly. Since he couldn’t attend last year’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony due to personal reasons, today is the first day he will see their faces. Irena said they were all grumpy old people. He had no idea what kind of reaction they would show.

But still, wouldn’t things somehow work out? Since they wouldn’t cause a disturbance at a gathering held for celebration, there was no need to worry much. Asel thought so and waited until the event began. Not long after that, one of the maids knocked on the waiting room door.

“Master Asel, you must prepare now.”

Following her words, Asel left the waiting room with Ena and moved towards the banquet hall.

“Everyone else has already arrived. Once you are ready, you can open that door and enter.”

The maid pointed to the tightly closed, splendid door and said. After telling her he understood, Asel turned back to Ena and held out his hand.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

Ena smiled faintly and held Asel’s hand. Asel pushed the door open with magic and walked upon the red carpet laid on the floor. At the same time, he stepped into the banquet hall adorned with gold and marble. The witches of the Witch Society, who had gathered in advance and were waiting for the two of them to appear, welcomed them, and Asel looked at Bell, who was cheekily whistling, once, then stopped at the end of the carpet.

Then he turned his body towards Ena and knelt on one knee.

A ceremony to show respect for the teacher who taught him until he became an adult. Asel lightly kissed the back of Ena’s hand and brought that hand to his forehead. Feeling the touch of her warm skin, he mumbled.

“Thank you for everything you have bestowed upon me until this moment.”

Ena did not reply. Instead, she smiled and lightly hugged Asel’s head. Originally, the formal procedure of the ceremony was to praise the disciple with all sorts of flowery words, but Ena lightly ignored this. But no one frowned. Ena’s love for her disciple was already well-known in the Witch Society. They chuckled and congratulated the two of them.

“Thank you for coming to me.”

Those words were enough. Ena stroked Asel’s neck once, then carefully let go of him. Asel smiled bitterly and got up.

With that, the entrance procedure for the Coming-of-Age Ceremony was completed. Then the witches, who had only been laughing and silent until then, simultaneously opened their mouths.

“Get married!”

“No, marry me! Think about the age difference with Ena!”

“He’s mine, you bitches! Asel! Now that you’re an adult, you don’t have to hold back, right? Right?”

“Come here! I’ll be good to you!”

Asel wore a wry smile at their half-joking, half-serious remarks. On the other hand, Ena stared at them with fierce, blue eyes. A gaze that made it seem like it wouldn’t be strange if someone died right away. That look was directly aimed at the witch who mentioned the age difference.

“Huk.”

She hid herself behind the wall with a pale face. Ena sparked lightning at her fingertips, then canceled the magic upon seeing Asel’s face.

There was no need to cause a scene unnecessarily at a pleasant occasion. The punishment would be later; for now, enjoying time with Asel was important. Thinking so, she led Asel by the hand and casually blurted out as they passed.

“Age isn’t important.”

“……? That is true.”

He wondered what she was suddenly talking about, but Asel agreed with her for now. Luckily, perhaps because she was pleased with that answer, Ena drank a cocktail she didn’t usually drink. Asel also grabbed and drank a glass of whiskey that was flying through the air.

“Play the music!”

In the distance, Bell could be seen standing on a table with a bottle of alcohol in hand and shouting. Is she subtly the type to enjoy this kind of atmosphere? Thankfully, it seemed she wasn’t walking around in her cat form even after coming to the banquet. Instead, perhaps she had changed her vocal cords to those of another creature, as her voice echoed resonantly throughout the banquet hall.

In response to her shout, cheerful music filled the hall. A witch who handled musical scale spells had directly materialized a musical score and played the music remotely. Asel thought the music that started spreading without instruments was like the speakers he had seen in his past life memories and let out a chuckle.

Now that he thought about it, after seeing memories of his past life when he was young, no new memories had surfaced yet. The memories he saw back then were also incomplete, so he couldn’t even know what his name was in his past life or what kind of upbringing he had. He had merely received a few scenes and a few memories.

‘Like how I recalled memories by taking drugs, do I need a specific trigger to recall new memories?’

He couldn’t know. And it wasn’t a situation where he could just take drugs. In the end, there was nothing else to do but try various other methods.

‘First, should I look for a few more books related to my past life?’

He had already searched through all the libraries in Weiham. But there were still no notable results. It seemed he would have no choice but to look into it while directly interpreting ancient texts. Since they said there were a few ancient books in the academy that were in their original form, it seemed best to start with those.

‘I’ll end up living holed up in the library at the academy too.’

Somehow, his future seemed clear, so Asel smiled bitterly and sipped a mouthful of whiskey.

Just then, Irena, with a long pipe in her mouth, approached Asel’s side. She exhaled smoke into the air and casually put her arm around Asel’s shoulder.

“Congratulations on becoming an adult. It feels like I’ve known you since you smelled of milk, and you didn’t die and even got to hold a Coming-of-Age Ceremony like this.”

“Didn’t we see each other at the adult celebration party last time?”

“That’s that. A witch of the Witch Society only becomes officially an adult after holding a Coming-of-Age Ceremony like this. That party was nothing.”

“So the party my teacher personally held was nothing. I didn’t know this.”

“……If you say it like that, it feels like I’ve become trash.”

Saying so, Irena mumbled her lips and then opened her mouth towards Ena, who was stuck closely beside Asel.

“Are you a leech? Because of you, the other lustful witches can’t even approach Asel.”

“Be quiet.”

“You’re only cold to me. Show me an ‘female’ expression like you do to Asel. Are we strangers?”

“……”

“Okay, I’ll shut up.”

Seeing Ena’s face becoming increasingly cold, Irena immediately turned her head.

In Irena’s green eyes, Bell, running around like a dog, was reflected. Her voice became slightly serious.

“More importantly, Ena, a meeting will be held at the Alliance soon. All Archmages must attend.”

“I know.”

“If you know, that’s fine.”

That was the end of the conversation. Irena completely dropped her serious tone and, smiling broadly, roughly ruffled Asel’s hair.

“I’m leaving. Congratulations on becoming an adult, and call me if there’s anything I can help with.”

“Oh, there is something right now.”

“Huh?”

Asel immediately reacted to a remark made out of politeness. Irena tilted her head with a reluctant expression, then chuckled and tapped her pipe.

“What is it? Is it something I can help with right away?”

“Hmm…… I think it would be better to show you directly rather than explain it. Could you lend me your pipe?”

“This? It’s not such a good item for non-smokers.”

“I only need to use it a little.”

Since he said it with a serious expression, it was difficult to refuse. Irena shrugged her shoulders and handed the pipe she was holding to Asel. Asel carefully observed the pipe he received.

“No particular magic is engraved on it.”

“Of course. It’s just a simple pipe. Thanks to careful management, there’s not a single stain on it.”

“Were you only using smoke spells with just tobacco smoke?”

“That’s right. But why that?”

“Because I need to know.”

Asel replied so, slightly bit the pipe, and inhaled the tobacco smoke. Ena, who was standing beside him with a look of disbelief, was startled and grabbed Asel’s hand.

“No smoking. You’ll become like Irena.”

“What do you mean, you bitch.”

Irena looked at Ena with a bewildered expression, then opened her mouth while gazing at Asel, who was frowning because of the tobacco smoke.

“It’s strong, right? It’s a bit like that for me. I’ve smoked it for so long that if it’s not that strong, I don’t feel satisfied.”

“Cough, cough!”

Instead of replying, Asel kept coughing continuously while exhaling tobacco smoke. Irena chuckled and took the pipe back from Asel.

“Seriously, why are you suddenly smoking a pipe?”

“I, *cough*, needed to ask for, *huff*, some advice.”

“Advice?”

The moment Irena expressed her doubt and tilted her head. Asel looked at the smoke he had exhaled and flicked his finger. Then the smoke that was disappearing into the air stopped in place and changed form. The smoke gathered to form a spherical orb, then elongated and shaped itself into something like a spear.

The smile disappeared from Irena’s face upon seeing that appearance. She looked at Asel with an expression filled with astonishment and her lips trembled.

“Hey, you……”

“I observed and mimicked the spell you use, Irena. However, there are still many lacking parts, so I’d like to hear advice on my magic. After all, Irena would handle smoke spells well.”

“……You observed and mimicked the spell?”

For Irena, who was seeing Asel’s genius with her own eyes for the first time, she couldn’t even believe that fact to begin with.

Smoke Magic. A unique magic that allows freely manipulating a specific medium called smoke. A high-difficulty spell that took even Irena 3 years from realizing the concept to first using the magic.

That magic was precisely mimicked just by looking at the spell, by a witch who didn’t even know the concept.

“Oh, shit.”

Irena felt as if her husband had been taken away and let out an expletive.