Chapter 46 - The Magic Otaku Recovers
As if slowly rising from the depths of dark water towards the surface, my consciousness, which had been slumbering in darkness, began to regain its clarity. I've experienced this sensation before, I recognized dimly. Then, as if drawn by that thought, the memories from before I lost consciousness also floated to the surface.
(…Ah… that's right. I was in the middle of a ritual to summon the 'Mountain King,' and I lost consciousness from mana exhaustion…)
A hard sensation on my back. It seems I was currently lying face up on the floor. My head, however, felt like it was resting on something warm and soft.
As my consciousness awakened, my eyelids naturally opened. And there, I met the eyes of Ruria, who was looking down at my face upside down.
"Are you okay?"
Along with Ruria's words confirming my well-being, Isis also popped her head out from above Ruria's. Ruria's expression was blank as usual, but Isis was looking at me with worried eyes. I'm fine, I'm used to mana exhaustion, though it's nothing to be proud of. It really isn't anything to be proud of.
"Did I pass out? Sorry for the trouble."
As I said that and tried to sit up from Ruria's lap pillow, an unexpected voice struck my ears.
"Oh, you're awake."
"Professor Azadh?!"
I shot up in surprise, and there was Head Professor Azadh, looking down at me with a thoroughly grim expression on his face. Hold on, why is the professor here?
"You look like you don't understand a thing. Take a good look around you."
At Professor Azadh's words, spoken as he put a hand to his forehead and looked up at the ceiling, I took a fresh look at my surroundings.
"…Eh?"
It was certainly the spell laboratory where I had been performing the Evocation ritual until I lost consciousness. The cloth with the magic circle on the floor was still under my butt, just as it had been. But everything else was completely transformed.
Innumerable pieces of rubble, large and small, were scattered throughout the room, and countless cracks had appeared on the floor and walls. One of the walls had a large hole in it, through which the academy's backyard, now completely dark, was visible. Despite it still being a slightly chilly season, the room had become quite well-ventilated.
A huge fissure had also appeared in the stone ceiling, and from it, fragments of stone would occasionally fall with a clattering sound. It was concerning enough to make me worry about whether the damage had reached the floor of the second story.
Taking in the amount and size of the rubble scattered around, a chill ran down my spine. I hurriedly checked myself all over, but it seemed I wasn't injured. To have been unconscious in the middle of all this and come out unscathed was quite something.
It didn't take much deduction from my last memory before losing consciousness to know that this massive destruction was the work of the "Mountain King" Harqudash. I mean, I don't think a human could do something like this. Well, I suppose Grandma or Dad could cause this much destruction with a spell.
However, I didn't feel the presence of that huge thing nearby. It's likely that because I, the summoner, fainted from mana exhaustion, it automatically returned to the earthly domain of Yetzirah.
Did my desperate attempt to not lose consciousness amidst the mana exhaustion backfire? If I had fainted quickly, it would have returned immediately, but because I tried to maintain the ritual somehow, the uncontrolled Harqudash ended up rampaging, didn't it? In the end, I lost consciousness right after, so it was fortunate that the destruction was over in a very short time.
"A little while ago, a tremendous sound and a vibration that shook the entire academy was felt. All the professors went out to investigate the surroundings, and we found this room in this state, and you lot. So, we concluded that this was the cause."
Professor Azadh explained the circumstances of how they found us, shaking his head as if deeply moved. Ah, yes. There's no way you wouldn't notice this, is there.
"Now that you're awake, let's get out of here. At this rate, who knows when it might collapse completely. I wanted to carry you out while you were asleep, but Ruria said you shouldn't be moved."
"Y-yes, sir."
Urged on by Professor Azadh, I replied curtly and, taking Ruria (and Isis on her shoulder) with me, left the transformed spell laboratory as it was. As I left, I glanced back at the disastrous scene behind me and thought. They definitely think we did this, don't they? I'll probably have to pay for the damages. I'll have to pay, right? Ugh, what am I going to tell my parents?
As if the weight of my thoughts had become a shackle, I followed the professor, dragging my feet.
Professor Azadh moved slowly through the academy, and eventually, upon reaching the front of the head professor's office, he knocked on the door. Hm? This is Professor Azadh's office, so why is he knocking to enter… The thought had barely crossed my mind when a familiar voice said, "Come in," from the other side of the door.
Ah, it's over. I'm finished. Well, I was finished the moment I did that to the spell laboratory, but for the messenger of my end to arrive so quickly… With my head hung low, I followed the professor through the door.
As soon as I entered the room, I saw my grandma sitting at the professor's desk, smoking her long pipe, and Professor Azadh bowing his head to her. So far, so expected. But what was unexpected was that there was a third person sitting in the guest chair in front of the desk. An old man wrapped in a black robe adorned with silver thread, his features almost completely hidden by his long hair and magnificent beard. It was, needless to say, the head of this Talgum Magic Academy.
The word "FINISH" appeared in my mind in a huge, extra-bold Gothic Japanese font. I never expected to find not only the top of my family but also the top of the academy here. Compensation, expulsion, disinheritance, exile… A swarm of words I didn't even want to think about appeared behind me in an anime-like visual effect. Yeah, this is a perfectly plausible situation.
Having steeled myself inwardly, I followed the professor's lead and bowed my head to the two superiors. I sensed Ruria bowing her head beside me as well. Would I have to part with this childhood friend in the not-too-distant future? …No, I have a feeling she would just follow me even if I were kicked out of the academy and my family. What is this strange certainty?
With my head still bowed, I glanced sideways at Ruria, but she had already raised her head, and I could only see the chest of her robe. Reluctantly, I waited for Professor Azadh next to me to raise his head, and then I raised mine a little later.
"Ah, Saki, Ruria. I'm glad to see you're safe. If something had happened to you, it would have been a loss not just for our family, but for the kingdom as well."
After exhaling a puff of smoke, Grandma spoke in what could even be called a cheerful tone. Hmm, of all the people here, she has the least to do with the academy, yet she's acting like she owns the place. To speak first, before the academy head, is behavior that wouldn't be forgiven if it were anyone but Grandma.
Well, there was no point in telling Grandma that now; she wouldn't care in the slightest. More importantly, it didn't seem like the atmosphere was one where shouting would erupt from the start, so I decided to make the first move and apologize.
"Academy Head, Grandmother, I am truly—"
"Ah, that's enough of that for now. I came ahead, but Levi, Sarah, and Maria are on their way to the academy now. They should arrive around noon tomorrow, so you can tell us your story then. It'll save you the trouble of explaining the same thing over and over, won't it?"
The diagonal lines of despair on my face seemed to double at Grandma's smiling words. Eh, seriously? The whole family is going to corner me? Is this really the end?
As I was speechless at the prospect of my unpleasant imagination becoming a reality, Grandma turned to the academy head, who was sitting silently in his chair, watching us with a calm gaze.
"Is that all right with you, Academy Head? We can deal with everything else after that."
"I don't mind. I was fine as long as I could confirm that the two of you were safe. For the rest, Head Professor Azadh, I leave it to you."
"You say that so lightly… Good grief, I understand. I will hear their story not as a magic user of the Arcalai faction, but as a professor of the academy."
The academy head stood up, his smile never faltering at Professor Azadh's sigh-filled reply. He then came over to us, bent down, and spoke in a calm tone.
"While you are students, failure is also a precious experience. Of course, reflection is necessary, but you shouldn't reprimand yourselves to the point of losing your ambition or your spirit of challenge. In the first place, your grandmother, when she was a student…"
"That's enough, Academy Head. You said you'd leave it to the professor, so stop with the unnecessary old stories and get out of here."
Grandma sharply interrupted the academy head's words. The academy head shrugged exaggeratedly, gave us and the professor a nod, and left through the door. Grandma watched his back as if glaring at it, the pipe in her mouth, but eventually, she exhaled smoke with a great sigh.
"So that's how it is, Saki, Ruria. It's late, so you two should get some rest. We'll talk about the details tomorrow."
"Y-yes. Understood."
I couldn't help but straighten my back and reply to Grandma as she knocked the embers from her pipe. For now, it seems I won't be judged here, I thought, a thought that was nothing more than a postponement of the problem. Then, before I knew it, Grandma had stood up, come around the desk, and was in front of us. She crouched down to meet our eyes and pulled me in with her left hand and Ruria with her right, embracing us.
"I'm truly glad you two are safe. I don't know what happened, but for now, that's enough."
Grandma whispered in a gentle voice I had never heard before, pulling our heads close to hers. So even that embodiment of insolence, my grandma, has familial affection, and The smell of tobacco is kind of nice, I thought, completely out of place. Professor Azadh watched us with his arms crossed, nodding repeatedly.
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"Listen to me! Because your body is too big, you're devouring Saki-kyun's mana! If this keeps up…"
Isis's cry echoed through the spell laboratory. The next moment, the strength drained from Saki's body as he stood in the center of the magic circle, his knees buckling as he collapsed. The sight was reflected in Ruria's eyes. She instinctively started to run, but Isis's thoughts were transmitted to her mind.
(Ruri-chan, don't get any closer!! Harqudash's control has been lost!)
Ruria, about to rush to Saki's side despite the warning, felt a dreadful presence from ahead and slammed on the brakes. As she raised her gaze, a rumbling vibration, as if from a landslide, was transmitted, shaking not just the room but the entire academy.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!!"
With his hands spread wide, the "Mountain King" Harqudash let out a deafening roar. The dignity that had been felt from his giant body until a moment ago was gone, replaced by an overwhelming aura of pure, unadulterated violence. The moment she saw his hands, which could easily snatch her up, clench into fists, she instinctively chanted a spell.
"[Armor]!"
Instantly, a massive fist swung horizontally, and a great vibration once again shook the room. The thick outer wall of the spell laboratory had been effortlessly shattered, leaving a hole large enough for an adult to pass through. What made Ruria's skin crawl was not just the chill of the outside air invading through the newly added exit. The fragments of the wall destroyed by the fist had scattered, raining down inside the room with the speed and power of a [Stone Bullet] spell. However, thanks to the [Armor] spell she had reflexively chanted, both Ruria and Saki were unharmed.
This was Ruria's trump card, which she had not yet told Saki about: "Multiple Spell Targeting." It was her own unique technique that allowed her to generate multiple instances of a spell, which normally only affected one target at a time, with a single chant.
Perhaps her experience in simultaneously controlling multiple spheres of [Light] and casting the same spell in succession had paid off. The other day, while thinking how convenient it would be to be able to produce multiple [Light]s or [Magic Missile]s at once, she had accidentally managed it while chanting a spell. This was her first time trying it with the [Armor] spell, and with gesture omission at that, but it seemed to have worked, and Ruria couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
Come to think of it, there was one more person here. Looking to her side, she saw Isis floating in the air, glaring at the "Mountain King" with a grim expression. Her small arms were extended forward, her fingertips dancing as they drew several patterns. Seeing the two, three, four sigils being drawn, Ruria sensed that Isis was about to cast a powerful spell.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
At a new roar, Ruria's gaze returned to the front, just in time to see Harqudash raising both arms above his head like a child throwing a tantrum. In a hurry, Ruria chanted, "[Shield]!" Another deafening roar, and the ceiling of the room split open, countless pieces of rubble falling under the pull of gravity. They rained down on Saki, who was still lying on the floor, but the shield and armor made of mana caught and deflected them all.
But the raised fists would eventually come down. They would surely crush Saki, who was closest to Harqudash. That overwhelming mass was something that could not possibly be blocked by mere First Tier spells like [Armor] or [Shield]. Just as Ruria was about to scream, Isis's quiet murmur reached her ears.
"[Punishment]."
With that voice, a shining magic circle appeared on the floor where Harqudash was, and the "Mountain King" froze as if solidified by something. The magic circle that appeared was far larger and more complex than any Saki or Ruria had ever drawn, with intricate figures and characters woven into it. Soon, several rays of light rose from the shimmering magic circle, and their number increased in the blink of an eye, eventually becoming a single giant pillar of light that completely enveloped Harqudash.
Then, a blinding flash of light burst forth. Ruria, who had instinctively closed her eyes, opened them again to find that the pillar of light, the magic circle, and Harqudash had all vanished as if they were an illusion, leaving only the traces of destruction behind.
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"…And that's what happened."
Isis concluded her account of the events after I passed out, munching on a piece of bread she had gotten from Ruria at the dinner table.
In the end, we were not allowed to return to the dorms that day either and were put in an empty room for professors. It was sad to know my way around this room so well, having been here several times now. I really shouldn't make a habit of being a regular here.
Just a little while ago, we had been brought a simple dinner, though it was a bit late, so the three of us were eating while I listened to the story of what happened while I was unconscious. Though, it was Isis who did all the talking, with gestures and even a strange intonation, like a one-woman show by a master storyteller. During that time, Ruria didn't interrupt, just silently ate her bread and soup next to me.
"I see. I thought I was lucky to have come out unscathed even though the room was so destroyed, but it was thanks to Ruria's efforts. Thanks."
When I said that and looked at my side, Ruria stopped her spoon and stared at me with her usual half-lidded eyes, but after a slight nod, she resumed her meal. But I could see her well-defined nose twitching slightly. She was quite proud of herself, wasn't she?
"And casting [Armor] on yourself and me at the same time is amazing too. I never thought it was possible to cast a spell on multiple targets at once."
At my further high praise, Ruria stopped moving her hand again. She remained frozen for a while, then slammed her spoon down on the table. With a force that was almost like a tackle, she hugged me and buried her face in my chest. Whoops, did I praise her too much? She was desperately trying not to let me see her embarrassed face.
"Hey? You've been praising Ruri-chan this whole time. The one who resolved the situation in the end was me, Isis-san, you know?"
Oops, I had paid too much attention to Ruria, and now the disappointing fairy-sama was angry. I patted the head of Ruria, who was pressing her face against me, and sent my unstinting praise to Isis as well.
"Of course I'm grateful to Isis too. As expected of you, Sensei, you're so reliable. So, about that [Punishment] spell you used to send the 'Mountain King' back at the end. What kind of spell is it?"
"…That sounded like a forced compliment. Oh well, [Punishment] is a Sixth Tier spell. It's a spell that sends beings from other worlds back to where they came from. It's almost guaranteed to work once cast, but the downside is that it takes time to chant in this body. Because of that, I ended up putting you and Ruri-chan in danger."
As she said that with a slightly dejected expression, I waved my hand and denied her words.
"Everyone's safe, so there's no need for you to worry about it, Isis. If we're talking about that, the whole thing started because I passed out from mana exhaustion, so Harqudash wouldn't have rampaged otherwise. Besides, in the first place…"
I paused there, remembering that I had barely touched my dinner because I was so engrossed in the conversation. It would be a waste if it got cold, so I peeled off Ruria's hands, which were clinging to me with all her might, and, while spooning the incredibly hearty soup that was almost a stew into my mouth, I posed a question.
"Why did my mana disappear during Harqudash's evocation ritual? When I summoned the 'Fire Elemental' before, I didn't feel like I was using any mana at all."
Isis sighed and replied to my question.
"It's because of that stupid rock. He's good-natured and rarely gets angry, but he's a show-off and cares too much about appearances. Since it was his first time being evoked to Assiah in a while, he made his earthly body way too big. Since he did that with a poor ritual site and tools, another price was needed to maintain his earthly body."
"So if I had prepared the place properly and evoked him, my mana wouldn't have been drained even if I summoned an Elemental Ruler?"
"That's right. When the mana supply from you was cut off, his consciousness returned to Yetzirah. The earthly body left behind here didn't have any proper reason, so it went on a rampage. As I said before, I managed to cast the [Punishment] spell and chase him back to the other side, but I was a little late, and the room got a tiny bit broken."
A tiny bit? What does "a tiny bit" mean again? Well, since that giant thing rampaged, maybe it's a blessing that the room wasn't completely obliterated.
"Well, this time wasn't a complete success either, but it went well up to a point. Next time, let's prepare more thoroughly before we try again."
As I said that, wiping the bottom of the bowl with a piece of bread, Isis flew over to me, flapping her wings. She flew around my head, smiling, "Eheheh."
"What is it? Is something wrong?"
I popped the soup-soaked bread into my mouth, swallowed, and then asked Isis. The cheerful fairy landed on my head and answered happily.
"You know, you're not down at all, Saki-kyun, and I thought that was so boyish and cool."
I may be a boy, but it's my second time around. I'm over thirty if you count my past life. Also, Ruria, stop glaring at Isis with such a dangerous look in your eyes. She's your familiar, isn't she? Besides, I don't have any special tastes like that.
"But well, maybe I'll have Ruria do it next time. You haven't done an evocation ritual yet, have you?"
When I said that and turned to Ruria, who was still hugging me, she blinked her sleepy eyes, and after a moment, she puffed out her chest with a determined "hmph." Good, good, I'm glad you're motivated. I want Ruria to be at least my assistant, and if possible, my research partner. I'm counting on you.
And so, I went to bed with Ruria. As Isis had pointed out earlier, unlike right after I woke up, my heart was surprisingly calm. Well, I suppose it's partly because I was a little relieved that even though I would surely face some kind of punishment, my grandma and parents wouldn't abandon me.
What's done is done, and this might close the path to becoming a magic user, but if I think of it as being able to concentrate on magic, it's not so bad. Whatever judgment is passed down, I will just continue to devote myself to the study of magic and do my best to repay the kindness of the Arcalai family. As long as I don't waver from that, the rest is not a big problem.
I closed my eyes, holding Ruria's hand. A lot had happened today, but that was only until I fell asleep. Tomorrow is another day. With that thought, I let go of my consciousness.
I just realized it's already May. Oh my god.