episode_0341

“?”

I turned my head to look at Reika, wondering what she was talking about, but-

She had the most serious expression on her face I’d ever seen.

It meant that it wasn’t a word thrown out without thinking.

And the soldier’s pupils, who recognized her question, shrank for a moment.

“Ma… … That’s right. Oh, how did you know… … ?”

“I see… … .”

I was about to ask if she had any idea what he meant, but it seemed like Reika still had something she wanted to say, so I kept my mouth shut and waited for her to finish her story.

“Did three people use magic at the same time?”

“I don’t know about that. I only saw it from a distance… …But I’m sure that magic was used.”

“What kind of magic was it?”

“He hurled something like a fireball forward. At first, it was confusing… … but since we realized that ‘there was a wizard’, our ranks didn’t break apart that much. I don’t think that’s something to say from the vanquished position, but… … .”

“Did you happen to witness each of those three using magic?”

“I think I saw two of them… … Sorry. I couldn’t see them in detail on the battlefield… … Also, I’m not sure if I saw them or not, so please just use it as a reference.”

“If it’s okay, I would appreciate it if you could tell me what comes to mind.”

After a few more questions and answers, Reika bowed and said.

“Okay, I see. Thank you for sharing your story… … !”

“No. I am the one who is honored, Archmage.”

“Oh, the great wizard… … ?”

The soldier looked at Reika, whose ears turned red at the title of Grand Mage, with eyes filled with admiration.

“At first, I was hesitant… …Judging by your hair color and clothes, isn’t that Archmage Reika?”

“Do you know my name… … ?? T, more than that, a great wizard… … .”

“Of course I know. Reika-sama has been involved in all of our recent great victories, right? I have been hearing about your activities from afar. I sincerely thank you for raising the status of our Serpina Army.”

“Ouch… … .”

After the conversation with the soldier ended like that.

“You’ve become quite famous, Archmage.”

“S, don’t even call me Swen like that… … Uuuuu. A great wizard? I’m still a very lacking person… … .”

I started off by making light jokes and then was able to have a full-fledged conversation with her.

“You asked me things like whether I held hands or used magic at the same time… …Do you have any guesses?”

“… … Yes.”

Just now, until the joke was thrown, the air between us was a bit playful.

But at this moment, all that energy had flown away somewhere – a tension so intense that it was hard to breathe surrounded me.

“I’m a little more certain now. Maybe… …there’s only one wizard in the rebel army.”

“… … Yes?”

But you said you saw three people?

Although I’m not sure, I’ve seen two different people use magic. So, isn’t it safe to assume that at least two of them are magicians?

at that time.

“At least two of them have to be wizards, right… … You’re thinking… … ?”

‘… … !’

Because Reika had read my mind perfectly, I couldn’t hide my embarrassment, which was unusual for me.

“How did you know?”

“Ehehehe… … Now I can tell a little bit what Swen is thinking… … by looking at his expression. Because we’ve been together for a long time… … .”

Reika said that and gave me a stupid, bashful smile.

“… … .”

no……

What is this all of a sudden?

The fact that he was a man who was revered as a great wizard by the soldiers and whose name was already widely known throughout the continent… … Only to me, the fact that he had such a somewhat lacking but happy smile strongly touched something deep in my heart.

Her lips came into my sight.

For some reason, I remembered the time I kissed Reika.

It was a little awkward, but… … it was delicious. It had a freshness that was definitely different from Serpina-sama and Airen-sama.

And naturally… … if you go down a little, the voluminous breasts that cannot be hidden are revealed―

slap!

I immediately turned my head.

‘… … Is it a lack of desire, me… … .’

We’re having a serious conversation right now, and it wouldn’t be polite to Reika-san to suddenly think like this when you’re not even horny.

good.

I gathered my courage and looked up at her face again to finish telling her the story.

“… … Huh?”

Ms. Reika looks at me with her eyes spinning around, blushing… …

“Huh?”

“Ba, didn’t you see the chest just now? ”

“… Sorry. My eyes suddenly went to sleep. We were having a serious conversation, so I’m really sorry. I’ll get my mind straight. ”

“No, I, I… … Well, I’m fine… … .

“Huh?”

“It’s not someone else, it’s Swen… … That, that’s it.”

She shut her mouth tightly and took a deep breath-

“Look, look… … It’s okay… … .”

He said it as if he was just throwing it out there.

“… … .”

Why did you say the same thing as Irene, I was suddenly speechless and rolled my eyes…

–no!

I cut something inside me and put my hand on her shoulder!

“Thank you! But, first, let’s wrap up the story! Us! Got it?!”

“Huh? Oh, oh!! That, that’s right! Me, me too! Aha, hahaha… … !”

What do you think other people think of us?

If you look at my flushed face, I probably look no different from Reika-san, who is blushing and doesn’t know what to do.

Even so, considering Reika-san’s reputation as a great magician, it was fortunate that there was no one around.

“So, is there a reason why you can conclude that it’s one person even though you saw two people?”

“… … .”

The atmosphere became serious again.

Reika opened her mouth cautiously.

“Before I tell you, please consider this as just a guess.”

“What are the odds of getting it right?”

“90%… … No, it’s more than 95%.”

“You’re so sure about this that it’s just a guess?”

“At the point where you were holding hands, honestly, other than the lack of evidence, it’s certain… … .”

Reika let out a short sigh.

“Swen, you know that there are a lot of novels about old wizards in the Eingart Grand Library, right?”

“Is that so?”

Come to think of it, she used to work as a librarian when there was no war.

As you continue to immerse yourself in books, you will have come across a lot of different stories.

“Books that have been passed down from the past, but whose origins are unknown. There are various magic spells in them. Like shooting fire, or striking lightning… … . Everyone on the continent knows by now that these aren’t just fantasy stories, right?”

“There are also scenes of using forbidden magic.”

“Is this a forbidden drink?”

“It’s the kind of magic that a villain in the novel would do. For example, using one’s own mana―”

―Or give it to someone who hasn’t opened their eyes yet.

“Just a minute. What you mean by pushing is-”

“That’s right. By transferring mana, you can temporarily turn a non-mage into a mage.”

“Was it like that?”

“There are many different types of mediators – the simplest is holding hands. Do you remember? That happened when there was an earthquake.”

Oh, right.

I held hands with Reika back then too. I still remember her saying that my hands were warm and nice.

“For reference, from the perspective of someone who knows how to handle mana, it’s much easier to just pass the flowing mana on to the person holding your hand than to create something like a fireball with mana.”

“I see… …So you’re saying that only one of them will be a wizard?”

“That’s right.”

I asked her a question that came to mind naturally.

“Then, rather than using such a cumbersome method, wouldn’t it be better to create a magic squadron and operate it?”

“People without mana cannot accumulate mana in their bodies. So… … Mr. Swen, you always carry a rapier, right? ”

“Yes.”

“If there is something like that, it’s okay. Just like the moment I used Earthquake last time… … If there is a medium to store mana, it is possible to store it there for a while, but if there is no such thing, it is impossible. Do you understand if I tell you that… … ?”

So does that mean that if I let go of my hand, I’ll revert back to being a normal person, unless I have a weapon like a rapier?

“It’s not perfect, but I think I get what you’re saying.”

“So, since you can’t use mana unless you’re holding hands, it’s best to add two people with both hands.”

“I understand up to that point. I have another question-”

“Are you asking why I didn’t do it that way before?”

“… … You really are reading my thoughts quite well now.”

Reika smiled faintly at my words.

“I told you… …Swen, you are special.”

That was the time.

Her expression, which was always hesitant and a bit timid, but still calm, suddenly became cold.

“That kind of thing… …I could never do it.”

“… … Yes?”

Reika’s voice began to tremble.

The emotion read there is not fear――anger.

Reika was now showing her anger for the first time in front of me.

“If you continue to operate mana in a body that cannot store mana, without a single object that can act as a storage device like a rapier, that person’s body will become a mess. This is something that anyone who has realized mana knows. When you first try to move mana freely in your body, you feel it. If it doesn’t work, you will feel it wrong if you force it in. ”

“And yet, he is doing such a thing so calmly and evilly. That person. I don’t know who he is, but… … .”

Her pink eyes shone sharper than ever.

“I can never forgive someone who uses magic like that.”