The Principle of a Philosopher by Eternal Fool “Asley”

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~~Six O’Clock in the Afternoon, Ninth Day of the Third Month, Ninety-Fifth Year of the War Demon Calendar~~

At the main table of the Pochisley Agency’s dining hall, Lina eased herself into one of the seats.

“Hah…”

The air was cloaked in an almost palpable silence, broken only by Lina’s gentle exhalation.

A faint flush colored Lina’s cheeks, lending her an unexpectedly enchanting aura in the subdued light.

“Are you all right?”

At that moment, the doors swung open, and Haruhana walked into the room, her long, ebony hair cascading behind her. She approached Lina with a concerned expression.

“Well,” Lina began, her voice carrying a sweet undertone that belied her discomfort, “I might have gotten a little bit tipsy… which is quite unusual for me.”

Despite the muffled bustle of celebration outside, Lina was in here alone — though she had a good reason to be.

“Congratulations on the graduation ceremony today,” Haruhana said.

“…Thank you, Haruhana.”

Indeed, today had been monumental: as the former president of the student council and an outstanding student, Lina had been chosen as the representative of her graduating class at the Magic University, a role she had performed with grace and poise.

After the ceremony, she had had to mingle with university officials at a grand banquet, an event that had left her both elated and drained.

Haruhana settled into a chair across from Lina, her fingers resting lightly on the table as she studied the latter’s profile intently.

“Something on your mind, Haruhana?”

“Hehehe… Nothing. It’s just…”

Haruhana hesitated, her eyes searching for the right words. Lina, her eyes heavy from the alcohol, tilted her head slightly, waiting for Haruhana to continue.

“It’s just… thinking that you’ll be leaving here soon makes my heart feel… lonely.”

“Oh. Well, maybe commuting from here is still an option… right? Hahaha,” Lina suggested quickly, trying to lighten the mood.

With Asley’s Teleportation Spell Circle in operation, the logistics of commuting between Pochisley Agency and the Royal Capital Magic Guardian Brigade headquarters had become more feasible.

While members of the Guardians had a room for themselves in the headquarters’ barracks, Lina had pondered this option, imagining a life where she could reside at Pochisley and travel to her duties as needed.

Yet, she had ultimately decided against it, feeling that taking this route might seem like she was avoiding her commitments — especially when considering the determination shown by the others, like her colleague Hornel, who had relinquished their previous lifestyles for this new endeavor.

Haruhana’s downcast eyes revealed her own inner turmoil. Seeing this, Lina’s resolve wavered.

Understanding the emotional undercurrents, Haruhana quickly sought to reassure her friend.

“No, no, it’s perfectly fine, Lina,” Haruhana insisted, “What truly matters is that you’re relentlessly pursuing your goal.”

Haruhana’s words were laden with an unspoken understanding, one that Lina immediately grasped.

Though the nature of that goal remained unsaid, it was clear to both of them what was implied.

“…It’s so that one day, I can stand by his side…” Lina murmured.

Neither of them felt the need to name the person in question.

“…Indeed.”

Their moment of shared understanding was abruptly shattered by a racket that erupted from the entrance of Pochisley Agency.

The pounding of hurried footsteps approached, followed by the resounding crash of the door being flung open and slammed shut with an intensity that reverberated through the dining hall.

“Hmm, he usually doesn’t do that,” Haruhana observed, her gaze shifting toward the source of the commotion.

“What’s going on?” Lina asked, her brow furrowing with curiosity.

The two of them exchanged knowing glances, both immediately recognizing the unlikely nature of the intruder’s behavior.

The door to the dining hall was flung open, and in burst Blazer, his face flushed and his breath coming in ragged gasps.

His sudden appearance met with the wide-eyed stares of Lina and Haruhana.

“Ha… ha… ha. There you are.”

“S-sir Blazer…?”

“I-is something the matter…?”

Blazer, momentarily taken aback by their hesitant responses, tilted his head in bemusement.

“What? No, it’s nothing serious — I was just subjected to a series of penalty games for losing a gamble… But enough about that. Lina, you need to come with me right now… and of course, Haruhana, you should come too. Hornel, Midors, and Idéa are drinking at the Adventurers’ Guild.”

“”Uh-huh…?””

Lina and Haruhana exchanged baffled looks, their mouths hanging open in confusion.

Blazer, seemingly oblivious to their bewilderment, continued,

“Can you run, Lina?”

“Huh? Do we have to run?” Lina asked, a hint of panic in her voice.

“Ah, well… no, but it would help if you could.”

“A-all right,” Lina agreed.

With practiced ease, she began to draw a Spell Circle in the air.

“Rise, Recover!” she chanted, invoking a spell to counteract the alcohol.

The flush in her cheeks faded almost immediately.

It was rare for someone to resort to magic for sobriety, but the implied urgency of Blazer’s request left Lina with little choice.

“Haruhana, you should come along as well. We’ll be hurrying ahead, so… see you there?”

“Heh…”

Haruhana couldn’t help but laugh softly at the sight of Blazer’s face. He noticed the amused glint in her eyes, which he tried to feign ignorance of.

“Well, let’s go,” Blazer declared, dashing off with the determination of someone about to face a great challenge.

“I’m off!” Lina shouted cheerfully, her voice echoing as she sprinted after him.

As the two of them disappeared out the door, Haruhana remained behind in the quiet entrance hall. She thoughtfully touched her chin, her gaze drifting upward to the starry sky.

“I wonder…” she mused aloud, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “What was with all those scribbles on Sir Blazer’s face?”

The image of Blazer’s doodle-covered face fresh in her mind, she chuckled softly to herself.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Moments after Lina and Blazer had hurriedly departed from the Pochisley Agency, the Adventurers’ Guild was just starting to get lively.

The tables were abuzz with the clinking of mugs and hearty laughter, as Bruce and Betty, along with Idéa and Midors, were deeply immersed in their celebration.

“Haha! Did you see Blazer’s face just now?” Bruce bellowed, his laughter resonating through the boisterous atmosphere.

“Yeah! That was absolutely priceless!” I never thought I’d see him get so flustered over a little gambling!” Betty chimed in, her grin widening

It was a rare sight to see Bruce and Betty so united, their shoulders brushing together as they reveled in the shared amusement.

“But you know,” Midors interjected with a thoughtful chuckle, “you two seemed surprisingly adept at this.”

Idéa, leaning against the table with her elbows propped up, added with a hint of sulkiness, “Yeah, how’d you manage to figure them out so easily? Even I had trouble with some of them.”

Bruce gave Betty a sidelong glance. “Me? Well, I just threw out random guesses. What I’m really curious about, though, is how Betty knew all the answers…”

Betty’s eyes sparkled mischievously as she met Bruce’s gaze. “Oh, do you really want to know?” she teased, her lips curling into a playful smirk.

“C’mon, just tell us!” Bruce urged, his impatience evident as he waved his hand.

“All right, all right,” Betty relented with a chuckle. “Midors, let’s show them.”

Midors began to sketch a Spell Circle on the table.

“Let’s see… hmm, Recover!”

“C-correct…” Midors replied, his voice trailing off.

Indeed — the game they had been engrossed in involved identifying the type of magic from the Circle that Midors had drawn. 

“Cure, Light, Recover — those were the options, right?” Bruce asked, scratching his head in confusion. “I still can’t figure out how you got them apart.”

“What the hell?” Betty replied with a hint of exasperation. “You guessed them all correctly!? Are you seriously saying it was all dumb luck!?”

“Hahaha! Now, enough about me… I’m more interested in how you figured it out. Well?”

“Ehh… it’s about the expressions on his face, I guess?” Betty pointed out with a shrug.

Bruce shifted his gaze from Midors’s hands to his face.

Bruce’s attention shifted from Midors’s hands to his face.

“I dunno, looks like a normal grumpy face to me.”

“S-shut up!” Midors protested.

“Hehehe… you see, when Midors showed us the three different Spell Circles at the start, his facial expressions changed with each one.”

Bruce’s curiosity was piqued. He raised his chin and began urging Midors for more Spell Circles.

Both Bruce and Idéa observed Midors with intense scrutiny as he prepared the new spells.

“Ahhh…”

“She’s right…”

Bruce and Idéa nodded in agreement. This left Midors looking utterly perplexed.

“W-wait, you’re serious?” Midors stammered, clearly astonished.

“Definitely. It’s a rather distinct quirk of his.”

The observation came from an unexpected source…

“”Tifa!””

“Is it really necessary to shout that loudly?”

“Everyone’s had a few drinks, so give them a break,” Betty said with a playful wink, which made Tifa twitch her nose in response.

“…Yup, sure smells like it.”

Tarawo, who usually maintained a carefree demeanor, began to tremble slightly under Tifa’s scrutinizing gaze.

Over time, he had learned to tread cautiously around her unpredictable moods.

“T-Tifa? If the smell of alcohol bothers you, perhaps you might consider leaving for today,” he suggested hesitantly.

“Quiet,” Tifa snapped, cutting him off immediately.

“Y-yes, ma’am,” Tarawo responded.

Midors, with Tifa’s stern gaze fixed upon him, stood up.

“You know, if that’s true, I’d like to fix it if I can.”

“Well… Cure — furrowed brows. Light — flared nostrils. And Recovery… for some reason, you open your mouth,” Tifa said succinctly and matter-of-factly.

Midors took the hand mirror that Idéa gently handed him, and he began to examine his own face.

Meanwhile, Tifa settled into a chair next to Betty, who seized the opportunity to change the topic,

“So, have you guys finished tidying up after the graduation?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Good to hear. Today’s treat is on Team Silver — by which I mean Blazer’s tab. So, feel free to order whatever you like!”

“Ooh!” Tarawo’s exclamation of delight was immediate, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of a generous treat.

“I’ll have grape juice and water,” Tifa said.

“Tifa! The water isn’t for me, is it!?”

“You got a problem with that?” 

Tifa’s icy glare was enough to make Tarawo stiffen in an instant.

“……W-well, yay. Water…”

Tarawo tried to feign happiness, his tail wagging with exaggerated slowness.

It was painfully clear to everyone present that his forced cheerfulness was a thin veil over his fear.

“Here you are — grape juice and water,” announced Itsuki as she placed the drinks in front of them.

“Huh? Itsuki? Tifa hasn’t even ordered yet… how?” Bruce asked.

“Well, I recognized her voice — so I just went ahead and got them!” Itsuki declared proudly, puffing out her chest with her hands on her hips.

Bruce chuckled softly, leaning closer to Tifa. “Welp, you should be careful — apparently, Itsuki hears everything in this place.”

Itsuki’s sidelong glance followed Bruce.

“Yes, and I heard you just now as well…”

“Gah, what kind of ears do you have!?” Bruce exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise.

“In Beilanea, my ears are everywhere,” Itsuki replied with a suspicious smile that sent a shiver down Bruce’s spine.

“Whoa, scary…” Bruce muttered, visibly unsettled by her words.

“Well, well, what’s this? Everyone’s already quite tipsy, aren’t they?”

The new voice belonged to Hornel, who had just entered the Adventurers’ Guild’s tavern.

“”Hornel!””

“Hey there, Itsuki,” he proceeded to say.

“Ale, right? I’ll bring it right away!” Itsuki responded with enthusiasm.

Hornel’s mere mention of Itsuki’s name had been enough to convey his order.

“How do you always know what he wants just from hearing your name, Itsuki? The way your mind works might be one of the world’s seven wonders! Hahaha!”

“Oh? What are the other six wonders, then?” Hornel asked, sitting down next to Midors with a curious grin.

“Haven’t thought them up yet. Hahaha!”

“Oh, you’re quite drunk, aren’t you?” Hornel noted with a smile.

“Heh, don’t mind him, Hornel… By the way, can you tell which spell is which?”

Midors drew three Spell Circles once more.

“Let’s see… This one is Recover, this one is Light, and this one is Cure… right?”

“Wha–!? How’d you tell!?”

“Your face,” Idéa interjected, her tone teasing.

“Wh-what the–! Idéa!” Midors stammered, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll help you fix it. Hehehe,” Idéa said, smiling wryly as she gave Midors’s back a few playful smacks.

Betty watched the exchange without saying a word, her eyes softening as Idéa’s attempt at consolation elicited a forced grin from Midors.

Meanwhile, Bruce leaned in, whispering to Betty with a mischievous glint in his eye,

“Hey, your age is starting to show, you know?”

“I’m not a little girl anymore. It’s nothing to worry about,” Betty responded, her tone calm as she took Bruce’s sarcasm in stride.

“Hahaha! Well, looks like someone around here is going to get scolded by a certain senior citizen!” Bruce said, finishing his ale.

“Yeah, right…”

“Oh, looks like Blazer is back,” Bruce observed, nodding toward the door of the Adventurers’ Guild.

“Lina is with him, too,” Betty noted.

Hornel, meanwhile, adjusted his attire, betraying his awareness of the growing crowd.

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