ALL NOVEL Chapter 133
After exchanging many stories, it was getting late, and time to part ways.
“It was… really, really nice,” the Flame Sovereign said, her face all puffy from crying but smiling brightly.
“Yes, I feel the same,” I replied earnestly. And how could I not? Every time I spoke, she reacted in such an extraordinary way that I couldn’t help but get carried away.
At one point, I almost shared thoughts that shouldn’t have been shared.
If that was her plan all along, then the Flame Sovereign is a truly terrifying person.
“Perhaps… I might have received more than what the Flame Sovereign has given you…”
“Well, all I shared were stories I collected here and there. It’s fine.”
“You shouldn’t dismiss those stories lightly. There have been moments where the past you experienced through the Flame Sovereign’s abilities was reflected in those tales. There’s more than enough reliability in that.”
“Well… that’s a relief, I guess.”
The Flame Sovereign smiled, and I smiled back.
Then she reached into her pocket and pulled out five small pieces of paper, handing them to me.
“Would you like me to sign them?”
The Flame Sovereign blinked a couple of times then burst out with a puhaha!.
“Well, while that would be nice, this paper isn’t for that purpose. Did the Flame Sovereign not give you a Wish Right? To use that, you would certainly need to meet the Flame Sovereign. This paper is for that.”
“This?”
I received the paper and wrapped my eyes in mana. It certainly seemed like some magical deal, but it was advanced magic that I couldn’t quite grasp.
“Yes. If you completely tear this, the Flame Sovereign will know that it has been torn and its location. Thus, the Flame Sovereign would be able to come to that spot.”
“Oh…”
“You just need to meet the Flame Sovereign there and express your wish.”
“Are you really going to go all that way just for that?”
In response to my question, the Flame Sovereign for the first time smiled in a way that matched her age and reached out her hand. But then, hesitating, she withdrew her hand and opened her mouth.
“It’s okay. Eliaernes, you have more than enough qualifications to call upon the Flame Sovereign.”
Did she want to pat my head? I’m not a big fan of that… Well, aside from when my mother does it, I prefer to keep my distance.
“What if the Flame Sovereign is far away?”
“Seventeen hours is more than enough for the Flame Sovereign to travel from Gebihenum to here. However, if you’re in a hurry, I can send forth the Flame Sovereign’s spirit.”
“Spirit… isn’t that a piece of the soul?”
“That’s right. I would separate a fragment of my soul.”
“What if something goes wrong and you lose your spirit?”
Losing the spirit would diminish one’s existence. Diminishing existence means your rank or circle would decrease.
I had no clear idea of how strong the Flame Sovereign was, but if the spirit got damaged or lost, it would incur significant consequences.
After all, removing a spirit equates to slicing a soul, and if that were to shatter, the inflicted pain would be horrendous. I know that pain all too well.
“I’ve heard that it hurts a lot…”
Heheh- The Flame Sovereign shook her head.
“Even if it’s called a spirit, it’s the Flame Sovereign’s spirit. Anyone not at the 7th Rank won’t even be able to sense its existence. Even if they notice and intend harm, they won’t be able to catch up to its speed.”
“Have you done this often?”
“This is my first time.”
“…Hmm. I’ll make sure not to need it urgently; I’ll use it in advance.”
“You don’t need to feel pressured.”
“This is such heavy paper for just paper, you know?”
Giggle- I ripped one of the five white papers.
The Flame Sovereign was taken aback.
“W-Why did you tear it?!”
“I’m using one right now.”
“Oh? Is that so? Then, tell your wish to the Flame Sovereign.”
The reason I had wanted to double my wish rights. Somehow it turned into five, but still…
The reason I wanted to double it is simple.
“The Flame Sovereign is a Mage, right?”
“Hmm, yes.”
“You’ve mastered not just fire magic, but with ideation, every type of magic has been infused with flames, right?”
“Rather than infused, it has become flames itself, but yes. You can understand it that way.”
“Yes, then I will state my wish…”
Thinking about what would happen next, I parted my lips.
*
It was the last day of the weekend, Sunday. A day when everyone is leisurely sleeping in.
But Stella is busy.
Early in the morning, she received a message from Eliaernes, asking her to come to the plaza!
Why? Suddenly? At this time? On the weekend?
Is it that she doesn’t want to go to morning exercises and instead meet me?
Just to be sure, Stella also messaged Yurasia and Pina, asking what they were doing that morning, and got replies saying they were going to exercise.
So, that means?
I’m meeting Eliaernes…!
“Oh my gosh… Why? Why is this happening?”
Happy yet anxious feelings swirl inside. My heart is softening, like it’s floating before sinking.
This isn’t like her. She’s always thorny and violent.
The Eliaernes who sent a message to meet me while lying to others…
Why?
Or rather, I thought, there’s no need to think it that way. Lately, she does seem a bit… softer and less violent.
But saying lately is just since… they spent a night together in the same bed, but still.
Eliaernes has changed.
“…Still, she’s not that kind of person.”
There’s no point in agonizing here. Coming to that conclusion, Stella continued her makeup.
Of course, Stella’s head decided, but her indecisive heart couldn’t find a conclusion.
Endless agonies continued.
An hour passed.
Today, she felt that her makeup was going well and proudly smiled. Now all that was left was perfume.
She had already put on her clothes before doing her makeup.
Wearing thin clothing, making Eliaernes flare up would be amusing, but today she dressed quite neatly.
A white T-shirt and jeans. She wore black underwear, just barely visible.
Perfect, all that’s left is perfume.
“…She hated strong scents.”
Naturally, she put down her frequently used perfume and picked up the one Yurasia had just gifted her.
It was labeled as smelling fresh like just washed laundry.
“Hmm… This is the most natural among what I have.”
Even if what she had were only two, Stella paid it no mind.
Spritz spritz-
Not too strong. But not too faint either.
She sprayed it in a few spots and then, tilting her head up, spritz! she dashed off where the drops of perfume fell.
Again, spritz! pitter patter- spritz! pitter patter-
This way, her hair should smell delightful enough.
Satisfied with her preparations, Stella wore her sneakers, a pair Eliaernes bought her, and stepped out of her room.
The sky was clear and the weather cool.
The spring breeze blew, and leaves rustled alongside it. The sound of it swishing combined with the fluttering of butterflies.
“Hehe… Hehehe…”
Stella, staring dazedly at the scenery, suddenly snapped back to her senses.
“…Why do I like this?”
I don’t get it.
I clearly disliked Eliaernes, but can just one message asking me out make me feel this good?
“Hmm…”
A friend. Is it because she’s a friend? Maybe because it feels like I’m monopolizing a friend?
Monopolizing… Maybe it’s less monopoly and more of a special meeting that everyone keeps secret?
Special.
“A special… friend.”
That’s definitely… possible.
After all, I had combined two times. Once in the labyrinth for the entrance exam, but still, it was two times.
In a confined space, just the two of us, matching steps, sharing hearts, doing incredible things together.
And is that all there is?
Stella and Eliaernes share secrets known only to the two of them.
Right.
Eliaernes and I are special friends…!
My very first friend is Eliaernes.
And she is also my first special friend.
It’s my first time wandering around the realm, just the two of us, with such a special friend.
“…Hehe.”
Floating on that happiness as she watched butterflies fluttering about, Stella moved her feet lightly.
Thus, she left the academy, passed through the bustling realm, and arrived at the plaza.
Eliaernes wasn’t visible yet.
It’s not that there were too many people to see her.
Given her hair color, petite size, slender build, and pretty… face, she should have been easily spotable.
But she wasn’t there.
It meant she hadn’t arrived yet.
Which made sense since Stella had come thirty minutes early for their meeting time.
She was excited and looking forward to it, did not want to keep her on such a lovely day, and enjoyed the warm sunshine and the fragrance of spring.
Numerous reasons sprang to mind, yet in the end, Stella rationalized it to be thanks to her diligence, and with a faint smile, sat down on a bench.
And in that moment…
She felt a heat that she sensed the other day.
Not hot, but strangely warming.
Although it was clearly morning, it somehow felt brighter than before.
And a strange mana.
It didn’t take long for her to recall where she felt this from.
The Flame Sovereign.
It was the presence of the Flame Sovereign.
Immediately, she stood up and looked around.
And then…
“Good intuition.”
“Eek?!”
A blunt, low voice was heard from behind. It was the Flame Sovereign. Stella firmly grasped the emergency wand she had concealed in her pocket and turned around.
Sure enough, the Flame Sovereign was standing there.
However, her expression was different from the other day.
Somehow… flushed, light-hearted, and anxious.
“…Y-You, Flame Sovereign?”
“Hmm. It’s the Flame Sovereign. And you are…”
The Flame Sovereign’s eyes narrowed.
“Stella Behrhaigen. Am I right?”
“…Y-Yes, that’s correct.”
Behrhaigen, Behrhaigen.
As the Flame Sovereign muttered Stella’s surname, she nodded slightly.
“From today on, I will be your mentor.”
Mentor? The Flame Sovereign? Mine? Today? What?
Stella blinked, unable to grasp the meaning of the Flame Sovereign’s words all at once.
“…Excuse me?”
“From today on, the Flame Sovereign is becoming the mentor to Stella Behrhaigen.”
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“W-Wait… Why…? Why?”
A flurry of thoughts rushed through Stella’s mind.
The first thing that came to her was Akasha.
Is the Flame Sovereign, like other demons, aiming for what is unknown as Akasha?
It hadn’t been long since Eliaernes had gone to such lengths to rescue me—am I being kidnapped again?
Even so…
As much as the Flame Sovereign was, I couldn’t just passively be taken.
I prepared a magic spell that would attract the most attention.
Stella’s strong suit was the Shadow Lance. The Shadow Lance has the advantage of preparing magic without the opponent noticing.
She thought of the strongest magic she could manage that could be completed using Shadow Lance.
Mana circulates quickly along the blood path, now cleared of impurities. Rings were formed. Four rings in total. The fiercely rotating rings bundled the mana and triggered the magic.
Just as Stella’s hand stretched toward the sky.
“Magic? Hmm… I’ll tell you this; the Flame Sovereign has not come here to cause you harm. Did Eliaernes not tell you?”
The Flame Sovereign snapped her fingers.
The four rings vanished.
Along with them, so did the magic.
“…Er, Eliaernes…? What do you mean?”
There was no time to be stunned by the magic disappearing. What startled Stella was why Eliaernes’ name came from the Flame Sovereign’s mouth.
That thought consumed her mind.
“The Flame Sovereign becoming your mentor is a contract based on Eliaernes’ Wish Right.”
“Mentor…? Wish Right…? Contract?”
“Hmm, strange. Stella Behrhaigen. How is it that you came here without hearing anything at all?”
“Well, obviously…”
She recalled the message she saw first thing in the morning from Eliaernes.
[In the morning, by 9 AM, at the plaza, please, ^_^b]
There was no mention of meeting.