Book 1 Chapter 18

Episode 17

Logan gave a rough, aristocratic bow as if mocking Rain, then walked past them and out the door.

'This is a huge catch.'

To pull the eldest son of a powerful family into a magical duel, and it was Rain Ludwig, who was rumored to be a good-for-nothing scion.

'Still, it's an undeniable fact that he's a descendant of a powerful family.'

Traditionally, descendants of powerful families did not participate in magical duels unless it was an open insult to their family.

For them, there was more to lose than to gain.

Of course, that doesn't mean insulting a magic family just to have one magical duel is worth it.

They would have no excuse even if they were expelled. The headmaster of this school is from a magic family, after all.

But this… they initiated it first.

'The Dean and the elders will praise me immensely, won't they?'

If I defeat other powerful family descendants who come seeking revenge, I might even be able to aim for the next Dean's position.

"What a wonderful day!"

* * *

Krista, who had been speechless in disbelief, finally broke the silence by pressing her temples and sighing.

"You… a magical duel, are you aware of your position?"

"<Delaighten> first-year?"

"Don't joke."

"I'm not joking. What, then?"

"You're a child of a powerful family, just like me. Is it possible you don't know what our position is?"

Krista sighed.

Regardless, Rain examined the research books shelved in the club's bookcase.

Krista felt a surge of anger.

"Oh, fine. Do as you please. It was wrong of me to genuinely worry about you."

As Krista shook her head and walked away, the boy had to tilt his head, unable to understand why.

"Why is she angry? What did I do?"

"You did something that cannot be understood logically."

It was a small-framed boy who spoke then, picking up his fallen glasses from the floor.

The crest engraved on his student ring was not the 'Sleeping Dragon' but the 'Spreading-Wings Dragon.' This meant he was a second-year.

"Descendants of powerful families never participate in magical duels."

"Why?"

"Isn't it true that there's little to gain and much to lose?"

If their social status was not the same, meaning if they were commoners, it was common to use polite language towards nobles even if they were seniors.

There were a few nobles who used polite language towards commoner seniors out of courtesy, but they were very few.

"So, I feel more wary than grateful. Why… did you help me? I don't know the reason."

Why did I help him…?

Unlike Rista, Rain, who had absolutely no knack for words in such situations, found it a more difficult question than any math problem.

"I didn't particularly help you. I just remembered a forgotten assignment."

"An assignment? What kind of assignment for a young master…?"

"I thought that if you stayed here, that assignment would finish much faster and easier. I just acted in my own interest, so don't mind it."

Rista might have said, "Does one need a reason to help someone?" with a bright smile.

I don't know how to smile like that. I don't know how to speak like that either. I'm not the kind of person to smile and speak like that.

So I'll just live as a calculating person, like before.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I think you're underestimating Logan's skill, young master…"

"How so?"

"Logan is a buff-type mage. As you know, he has an incredibly good compatibility with ordinary mages."

According to Joen, the club president, Logan's magical abilities and physical prowess were so outstanding that he even went to study martial arts at one of the Six Great Martial Arts Schools of the Republic.

"So I heard his win rate in magical duels against other schools is over 90%…"

Joen let out a self-deprecating laugh and leaned against the wall.

"You did something too reckless against a guy like that. I'm not worth helping. I said something strange earlier…"

"…?"

"I spoke grandly to Logan earlier, but it's not actually that grand a club. I just grew up in the countryside. The villagers collected money to pay for my university tuition."

Joen said that he had only joined this club to research magic so that he could return home after graduation and repay his hometown.

"It's just for personal reasons… pitiful, isn't it? I'm sorry, young master. I'll just take part in this magical duel myself."

Joen offered a bitter smile mixed with a hint of tears, fumbling with his broken glasses.

The possibility of winning is zero.

But wouldn't that winning rate apply even more harshly to Rain, who is called a good-for-nothing young master? The club is going to end anyway, there's no need to cause trouble.

"Strange, why is that pitiful?"

Then, suddenly, that voice resonated in his chest like ripples spreading across a lake.

"Do you know why Rin started magic?"

"Archmage Rin? That's… because she liked magic since she was a child."

"No, at first, she just did it because she wanted to live. She finally got to sleep and eat like a human, and she didn't want to be abandoned. Desperately. Liking it came a little later."

Rain's voice, as he nonchalantly rummaged through the bookcase, was somehow deep, as if recalling a distant memory.

"What…? I haven't seen any books with such a backstory."

"She studied so much that at some point, she followed Rista, and at some point, she became an Archmage."

Rain, who had flipped through a book, closed it with a thud and looked back at Joen with a chuckle.

"Is there a law that says you can't become like that, even as a senior? No, there isn't."

"…?!"

"I'll borrow a few of these books. I'll need to get used to them if I'm going to use them in the magical duel."

Even after Rain selected a few books from the shelf and left, Joen remained rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the door through which he had exited.

His heart was quietly pounding.

His entire body was silently trembling.

What was this feeling? It felt less like talking to an unfamiliar junior, and more like receiving advice from some great senior whose level he dared not fathom…

* * *

"Rain!"

He felt an instinctive fear at that grinding voice and stopped. He glanced back, and sure enough…

"Aunt, have you been well?"

It was Elin Ludwig.

A beautiful woman with sharp, cat-like features and rebellious attire.

With long black hair and red eyes, she had the exact same physical characteristics as Rain Ludwig, and she was a professor at <Delaighten>.

"Do you think I would be well? Huh?"

She put an arm around his neck, pulled him close, and then repeatedly pounded her other fist on the top of his head.

"You're going to fight… no, have a magical duel with the Eight Great Schools? Huh? The rumor has spread all over campus, I must have misheard, right?"

"Surprisingly, it's true."

"Oh, really? It truly can't be helped. My cute nephew has made such a big mess, so shall we have some lively day-drinking today?"

"Ah, ah, it hurts! It really hurts!"

"It'll hurt several times more than this if you fight Logan, what's with the fuss, you idiot!"

Elin finally released Rain around that time, then let out a deep sigh. Rain touched the bump on his head and asked.

"Did you come because you were worried?"

"Worried? Who said I was worried! Do I look like a pathetic aunt who would worry about a good-for-nothing young master like you, ask every single child where you went, and wait for you to sit down? You're delusional, you good-for-nothing nephew!"

Aunt.

You must have searched for me quite a bit.

As Elin spun around and started to leave with angry strides, Rain said.

"I'm sorry, Aunt. I didn't know this was something I shouldn't do. I won't bring shame to the family."

Then Elin's steps, as she was about to turn the corner, stopped for a moment.

"Well, it's fine. I was getting a little annoyed by those who called you a genius young master anyway. Just a tiny bit."

"…"

"Since you're doing it, make sure of it. So that others can't even think of climbing over you for the rest of their lives. The name of the Ludwig family rests on your back."

Hmph, Elin Ludwig snorted loudly, as if for everyone to hear, and then disappeared from sight.

The name of the Ludwig family, huh…

So she came because she was worried about the family. I shouldn't disappoint her and be cursed for the rest of my life.

But it's not the time for the duel yet, and I have something else to do.

I suddenly felt the need to properly investigate the past, meaning the activities of my comrades.

Before, I was too excited and brushed it off as unimportant, but it seems strange no matter how I look at it that Rin's biography and Rin's diary came here.

Fortunately, Rain was currently in the perfect place to obtain information. No, perhaps it should be called the best place in the empire.

The Central Library of <Delaighten>.

The largest library in the Holy Human Empire, it houses 58,422 ancient books and 274,443 volumes in its collection. This includes various history books and character encyclopedias.

Those with unconfirmed identities did not even have the right to view materials, but for students, it was fully open except for the Forbidden Material Room 0.

"I'm looking for these books. Where should I go?"

He visited the library after school.

The First Document Information Room of the Central Library had a multi-story structure with an incredibly high ceiling, and the bookshelves were a staggering 3.5 meters tall.

There were no lighting fixtures out of concern for fire, but all facilities were made of keystone that brilliantly reflected sunlight and moonlight, so the library was always bright as day.

"This way."

The intellectual-looking librarian pushed up his glasses and skillfully climbed up and down a ladder to find the requested books.

『The Life and Achievements of Kiess of the Royal Palace.』

『Regarding Frieda, the Priestess of the Fire Dragon.』

Looking at the book titles and their thickness, echoes of the past came to him, and an involuntary sad smile touched his lips.

- Let's make a bet. Whose biography will be thicker later.

300 years ago… Frieda had suddenly said something out of the blue. He remembered sighing in disbelief.

- What's important about evaluations made by people you don't even know, just to make money? Just say Frieda won.

Then Frieda covered her mouth and smiled maliciously.

- Oh my, you seem to lack confidence. Are you intimidated by the legendary priestess Frieda-sama? Pffft!

- Oh really? Then let's do it?

As he flared up and raised his eyebrows, Rista, who was training by swinging the heavy blade of the Extreme Divine Sword Surpain a hundred times with a rock tied to it, spoke up.

- Then I'll bet on Rin.

Frieda shook her head, saying that the bet wouldn't be valid that way, but Rista's eyes, as she wiped the sweat from her face with a towel, were somehow distant.

- I'm a Faequirior, so I won't live long. Kiess is the oldest in our party, so he'll die after me. But Rin is young.

- …

- She'll live longer than any of us. So her biography will be the thickest.

When talking about the future, Rista's usual bright demeanor would disappear, and she would wear an inexpressibly sad smile.

- I hope the day comes when I can see Rin's biography.

A trivial everyday event on a hot summer day, with shimmering heat haze from the poles, a precious memory.

It's truly laughable.

Contrary to Rista's words, I was the first to die in the party. And I was the most immature and least heroic.

Without even needing to check, my biography would be the thinnest.

Yes.

There's no need to confirm.

So…

'Congratulations, Frieda. You won. Unfortunately, I can't give you the stakes.'