ready(2)
A laboratory in the Mage Tower overlooking the academy.
“·······”
Returning to the lab, Narsha grabbed the music box paper with both hands. The slender wrists with tendons trembled as if they would tear the thesis at any moment.
Tremors of extreme anger and shame.
But this time it didn’t tear. He placed the crumpled papers on the desk.
“Huh… I endured it well.”
Narsha sighed and calmed herself down.
In my mind, I wanted to destroy everything that was a thesis, but if I did that, reprinting would be impossible.
I don’t know if it’s a general thesis.
The thesis on the healing of the music box was to be presented at the Imperial Conference later, so it was necessary to refrain.
With just a few serious errors corrected, a healing magic will be developed that can save a dying person.
If that happens… then this boring regular researcher life will come to an end.
“I have to do it.”
Narsha opened the crumpled paper.
Forgetting all the embarrassing things from a while ago, of course, it lingered in my head for a while, but I started researching my thesis.
[Concentration] to be immersed in research as if it was always like that.
A “genius of healing magic” that is displayed extraordinarily.
“·······”
In the lab, which had become as quiet as a dead mouse, only the ticking of the clock could be heard.
Tick-tock-tock-tock-
Time goes by so fast as I am immersed in research.
At the same time, the structure of the formula that can be reconstructed without clogging.
Healing talent, which can be said to be innate, burns down the barrier called impossible and turns it into possible.
Tick-tock-tock-tock-
“after······”
When I finished my quota and looked up.
The world outside the window was covered with pitch-black darkness.
Narsha checked her watch. The clock hands were already approaching midnight.
It was time to go see Leonard.
The best defense mage in the empire.
A man who was Narsha’s ex-lover, and who might be having another relationship now.
“That’s why you say you’re dating, it’s not…”
Narsha’s face turned sullen as she suddenly recalled something she had forgotten. With a pouting lip, he tidied up his desk.
It was a satisfactory study that couldn’t be better, and I was happy that the conference application was confirmed, but to ruin my mood just because of that one thing.
Why am I doing this these days?
Like Yerina said, did she even like Leonard?
why me?
I vowed to never be tied up with the chewy cub again, but why the hell is it?
“·······”
After thinking for a moment, Narsha shook her head vigorously.
After receiving help from Leonard a few times recently, my mind became confused.
I don’t usually get help, and I’m unfamiliar with the kindness of others, so I’m just misunderstanding for a while.
I don’t like Leonard.
It’s all just trying to repay the help.
So let’s not get it wrong.
Let’s say coolly that we’re going to buy a meal because we’re thankful for nothing.
Narsha made that resolution and came out of the mage tower.
Far out in the lobby, as always, Leonard was standing. As usual, I would have passed by indifferently. He would have headed home, forcibly holding his gaze towards Leonard.
But today was different.
jerk- jerk-
Narsha went straight to Leonard. He approached with a bold step. A posture where you can feel even a hint of spleen.
jerk- jerk-
Narsha, who confidently approached, stood in front of Leonar. I looked up at him with determined eyes.
Leonard couldn’t hide his embarrassment.
“why······?”
At the same time, Narsha was also taken aback.
“uh·····?”
The seriousness in his eyes suddenly became clear. When I saw Leonard’s face, my mind went blank.
He approached her blindly without worrying about how to resolve the issue or what words to start the conversation with.
It was difficult for Narsha, who had zero social skills, to even speak first.
wheee-
The night wind blowing filled the silence between the two.
Only awkward silence lingered in the academy where the conversation was cut off.
“·······”
Both cheeks started to heat up. face was turning red.
However, it is already too late to do so now.
what to say and how to get it out
······First of all, I should say thank you.
Narsha barely opened her tightly closed mouth.
“that is······”
thanks Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Actually, I was very grateful, but I was sorry that I couldn’t tell you back then. There were many options, but Narsha couldn’t say it easily.
I was just repeating the first word.
“Gogo······”
The back words didn’t stick to my mouth.
Have you ever said thank you?
I do not know. I didn’t remember because I was out of my mind.
“go······”
Like a broken cassette tape, the same words were repeated over and over again. Leonard looked at him blankly. What kind of a kid is this?
“…?”
“go······”
I can’t. I can’t say thank you very much. I should have said something else before being accused of being a weirdo…
In an instant, Narsha’s head rotated in an extraordinary way. I started making sentences that start with ‘Go’ in a hurry.
Do you want to burst your eardrums?
Is it just that much?
I want to become a master, Master, etc.
I found some useful words in my brain where only nonsense came out.
Narsha spoke as naturally as possible.
“Go… do you like meat?”
It’s a bit out of the blue, but it fits the conversation topic ‘meal’.
At the sudden question, Leonard laughed awkwardly.
“I like it.”
“·······”
Narsha subtly averted her gaze. After a moment of silence, he said as if tossing it.
“…then why don’t you eat with me tomorrow?”
A thoughtless offer.
A scene similar to the first meeting of the two.
Narsha fixed her eyes on her toes at that tickling yet vague feeling. I couldn’t bear to look at Leonard. I just waited for his answer.
I wondered if I was this nervous at that time as well.
The answer to that is…
“I think it will be difficult because I have an appointment tomorrow.”
In an instant, my heart sank.
Pre-arranged, do you have another appointment with Yerina?
Were you two dating?
The excitement that I had brought out from my memories suddenly disappeared, and the unknown frustration spread thickly.
It was a similar situation, but with a different result than before.
It’s only natural that time has passed.
“·······”
It was a time when I was trying to accept all of that.
Leonard’s voice continued.
“I have to go to the Imperial Guard.”
A calming voice.
Its grave tone reminded me of forgotten information.
Leonard’s entrance test to the Imperial Family Guard scheduled for this year.
Narsha lifted her head and looked at Leonard.
“Because of the entrance exam?”
“right. It’s really not long now.”
Leonard said calmly. It seemed that he was carrying a heavy responsibility.
Looking at that face, Leonard smiled lightly.
“Let’s eat meat after the entrance test.”
“That’s it.”
Narsha averted her gaze again.
Seeing that he was about to eat, it didn’t seem like he was dating Yerina. Maybe it’s nobody…
······no! I can’t be at ease yet.
Because Leonard has a history of cheating.
Maybe he was already in the middle of textbooks with Yerina.
“Are you…”
Narsha, who was about to ask about Yerina, stayed silent. It was too ugly to even ask there.
Narsha hesitated, then pointed to the front door.
“not. Let’s leave now.”
“okay.”
It was a day with a dynamic range of moods.
In the end, it ended badly.
＊＊＊
next day.
I visited the headquarters of the Imperial Guard in Archinia.
As promised, with special grade steak.
“Thank you, I will eat well. Professor Leonard!”
Thank you for being entertained last time, this time I brought my servants to cook for you.
The crew sat down to dinner at the garden table, and I sat across from the tomahawk. He asked while hand-feeding the Tomahawk.
“How is Regilos these days?”
“Very sincere and polite. I have become a completely different person than before.”
Tomahawk pointed to the far end table with a proud face. Unlike last time, Regilos, who sat at the youngest table, looked different at a glance.
First of all, my physical condition has improved considerably.
His shoulders were wide open, his chest thick with muscle, and his twinkling eyes were set in evil.
They say that the master is the disciple. It seemed that he intended to make it similar to his own body.
“As requested, we conducted intensive physical training.”
“okay.”
A tomahawk who prides himself on being a drill instructor in hell and only knows defense magic and muscles.
The first impression was a long one, but it was good to entrust him with Regilos.
Mental state and physical were enough to pass, and now it’s time to measure your magical ability.
I manifested “magic insight” and expanded my senses. Among the 50 crew members, he only focused on Regilos’ magical power.
“Oh hoa…”
The messy mana had become more refined.
He said that he was actively participating in the training, and the quality of his mana had improved.
It was a natural result since he inherited the blood of the Adonis family, a family famous for defensive magic. In the meantime, I was lazy in training, so there was nothing to see.
Well… even before that, he was a top-notch defense mage.
“It’s definitely different.”
“I just did my best at Professor Leonard’s request.”
Tomahawk stopped knives and lowered his head. I showed the palm of my hand and invited them to eat.
“Listen while you eat.”
“Yep!”
“I think it’s okay to keep training intensity but stop improving your body. This is just the right body type.”
The “small muscles” attached to Regilos’ body.
The bigger it gets, the more difficult it gets. It had to be as similar to my body type as possible.
“All right. I will maintain my body shape by adjusting my diet. Do you have any other requirements? We will do our best to match.”
Tomahawk gave a loyal look. It seemed that serving food consistently worked.
It’s a requirement…
I asked while cutting the steak.
“It’s a defense target that will be used in the joining test.”
defense target. In short, he is the target I will protect in the joining test. A human model reaching 2m is framed, and a black cloth is covered on top of it.
If the fabric is torn or falls completely to the ground, it is a disqualification.
“Who is responsible for transporting them to the darkroom?”
“The youngest member of the Imperial Guard’s orthodoxy.”
“·······”
Currently, the youngest member of the Imperial Guard was Regilos. According to the principle, he had to carry the defense target. But that shouldn’t be the case.
Regilos had to help me.
I said without losing my composure.
“I think differently.”
“yes······?”
Tomahawk, who was about to eat the steak, looked at me with surprised eyes.
“What do you think…?”
“It’s a role that supports me, and it’s a very important test for me, so I want the temporary captain of the Tomahawk to help me.”
“Yes?”
“Because there is no one as reliable as Tomahawk-sama. Regilos is a little anxious.”
Tomahawk is a typical loyalist.
A character who, if trusted and entrusted to him, will complete his mission even at the cost of his life. Controlling that type of person was simple.
Even if it’s a trivial task, you can ask for it in a slick way. I just need to imprint the fact that I trust you. Then I will do my best.
just as expected.
“!!!”
Tomahawk trembled. Compared to her rugged body, her pure eyes were filled with a golden impression.
“All right! That critical role of transporting defense targets to the darkroom. I’ll take care of it!”
I knew it.
It was easy to control because it was a character that I molded myself.
After that, I talked to Tomahawk about this and that. That time when I was getting information about the joining test for a while.
“Oops! Hehe!!”
A subtle groan was heard from behind.
I turned my head there. The crew members who were eating also looked behind them one by one.
The source of the groans was the tent set up for cooking.
“Haap!·······”
The servants who were preparing dessert were gathered in one place, and they were taking turns squeezing something together.
It was a glass bottle filled with chocolate syrup.
“Ew!······ Par! Can’t you?”
One of the servants passed the bottle to the next person in line.
He is struggling with a bottle of chocolate syrup that is tightly locked and cannot be opened.
The bottle handed to him by the servant rose into the air right before it was passed on to the next person in line. It flew slowly towards the table.
Boo-Tak-!
The bottle of chocolate syrup landed in the palm of the unit commander, Catherine.
He said with a confident expression.
“Let me open it.”
Then, he covered the lid with his palm. I opened the lid at once. But the bottle didn’t open, only Katherine’s wrist was shaking.
rattling-
from the wrist to the arm.
from arm to body.
rattling-
Because of the fear of breaking, the use of magic was impossible. I had to use only my strength.
Katherine shuddered and tried to open the lid, but in the end the bottle did not open.
“Wow… isn’t it easy?”
“It’s not easy, you’re weak, Catherine.”
Tomahawk watched the scene with arsenic on his face. And then he seized the bottle with his mind.
“Look carefully.”
chin-!
Tomahawk placed his palm like a pot lid on top of the lid. The crew, of course, looked at the servants with eyes full of anticipation. A muscle monster, a Tomahawk, or a drill instructor in hell could easily open a glass bottle.
With everyone’s eyes focused, the tomahawk spat air pressure.
“Haap!!”
I twisted the bottle with my fist-sized wrist. Veins were pouring down his forearm.
Formidable strength that comes from overwhelming physicality!
“·······”
But the garden was strangely quiet. The ppong-sound that everyone had been waiting for was not heard.
Tomahawk was also a failure.
I smiled and held out my hand.
“please give it to me. I’ll do it.”
Because I knew why the bottle wouldn’t open. However, the tomahawk was not readily handed over. I thought I would see the end because I had the desire to win once.
“Professor Leonard, give me a chance.”
“It is impossible with that power.”
“no. You can!”
Tomahawk responded loudly. A tremendous zeal flared up in his pupils.
The crew applauded the surprisingly magnificent spirit. I also joined in the cheering.
“Is that possible?”
“Available! I never learned the impossible!!”
“Waaaaa-!!”
like that······
10 minutes later.
Tomahawk realized that learning has no age.
“Ha ha… ha… I can’t do it. It won’t open even if you die. Wouldn’t it be better to break it?”
It was a tomahawk exhausted by only one glass bottle.
“please give it to me.”
I handed him a glass bottle.
There was only one reason why that muscle monster couldn’t open the glass bottle. It’s because the chocolate syrup buried between the bottle caps hardened.
I put my palm on the lid. A slight heat was applied using magic power.
Temperature equivalent to approximately 40 degrees.
In this case, the hardened contents are melted by heat, and a fine gap is created as the metal lid expands.
It was a very basic ‘science’ principle.
Let’s twist our wrists after a while
Mulberry-
The glass bottle opened with a cheerful sound. The crew members and servants who were watching me closely couldn’t help but be astonished.
“Oh my gosh······”
“What even the Tomahawk captain couldn’t do at once…”
“Oh, that’s an incredible strength…”
What even a clunky tomahawk couldn’t open, I, relatively slender, opened it easily.
In a way, it was a natural reaction.
In fact, it was something anyone could do if they knew basic science, but science did not exist in 「Eternal Wizard World」.
It was a world where magic was everything.
In other words, explaining the principles of science to them is the same as explaining the principles of magic to modern people.
In short, it’s just useless bullshit.
“What did you do… Professor Leonard…?”
So, to the Tomahawks and the crew who are staring at you in amazement.
I was just explaining it like this.
“Have you ever heard of real contraction muscles?”
······
Dessert with chocolate syrup comes out, and by the time the seat is finished.
I called Regilos behind the tent.
The complexion of Regilos, who had PTSD last night, was white.
“Why… why are you like that?”
Regilos, who had shrunk a lot, even used honorifics.
Feeling apologetic and sad at the same time, I stroked the boy’s head.
“I called to praise you. You said you’ve been working hard these days, and you’ve grown in that moment.”
“yes······?”
Regilos suddenly opened his eyes. He looked at me with suspicious eyes.
With the guard raised in case there was a surprise attack.
“Why did you call me?”
“I called because I have something to say about the temporary guard captain position.”
“·······”
“Next year, we will have to appoint a member other than Tomahawk as the temporary guard commander. I want to entrust that important role to you.”
Pretending to be deeply troubled, I looked at Regilos.
The young man’s face was engulfed in great confusion.
“Me, to me…?”
Regilos will turn 21 next year.
For your information, if you become the temporary guardian captain at the age of 21, you will be the youngest ever to hold the title of guardian captain. It was to become the youngest head of not only the Imperial Guard but also all of the Imperial Palace’s institutions.
Regilos, who likes to brag and show off, would never mind it.
Moreover, now that the sediment for the tomahawk has accumulated.
“I will. I’ll do it, just do it No, just do it!”
Regilos nodded his head.
I rubbed my chin and furrowed my brows. I was watching the liver.
“To do that, you’ll have to test your abilities… whether or not you’re the right person to be the head of the Imperial Household Guard.”
“I will do anything. I’ll take any test. I just need to prove my abilities.”
Regilos’ earnestness touched his skin.
The guy really wanted the position of captain of the guard.
If you wish to become the captain of the guard, then you will have to take an entrance exam.
“great. Instead, it is a very secret test that only the two of us know about .”