Chapter 103: - The Crimson Sage (2)

༺ The Crimson Sage (2) ༻

After the atmosphere had somewhat settled, Ruellyn broke the silence with a bright voice.

"Well then! I have some matters to discuss privately with Malevolent Star, so could you please excuse us for a bit, Miss Sylvia?"

"Huh? Me?"

Sylvia blinked in surprise, eyes widening. She then squinted slightly, asking,

"What, why? Is there something you can't tell me?"

Ruellyn brushed his lips with his index finger, a mysterious smile playing on his face.

"That's because the matter at hand is a conversation between parents."

"Parents?"

Sylvia looked puzzled for a moment, but then she nodded, as if understanding.

"Ah... I see. If it's that kind of situation, I can't help it. You guys, have a good chat with Ruellyn."

With a gentle wave of her hand, she exited the basement.

The dimly lit basement was left with just two people, though to call one of them a person was a bit of a stretch.

I had a pretty good idea of what Ruellyn wanted to discuss.

"Is it about Oznia?"

"Correct. How is she doing?"

I pondered for a moment before answering Ruellyn's question.

"She's doing well. She has made friends, and she's attending classes regularly. She finds most things bothersome, but that doesn't stop her from doing what she needs to do. She even helped me significantly not long ago."

"Is that so? I'm glad to hear that she was able to help you, Malevolent Star. It's reassuring to know you're looking out for her, since she's not exactly sociable, which had me worried."

His voice carried an unexpectedly genuine concern. Was it because she was his pupil? The thought of Ruellyn sincerely worrying about someone felt strangely foreign.

I simply nodded in response.

"That's part of being an Instructor."

Ruellyn slightly lifted the corners of his mouth that were faintly visible under his robe.

"Recently, I received a letter from Miss Oznia. Apart from a greeting, it mostly contained things about a friend named Titania and her Instructor. Just from the letter, I could tell that she relies on you quite a bit."

"......"

Miss Oznia, huh. I didn't expect him to use such a formal address, even with his pupil. Well, while it was hard to know Ruellyn's true intentions, he was at least humble in his choice of words. Anyway, he continued speaking.

"She's a child with many scars. A child who protects herself with indifference, due to fear of interacting with people. Even at the tower, she barely conversed with anyone except me. Are you aware of her past?"

"Yes, I heard it directly from her."

"Heh, I thought it would take a few months, but you became close quicker than I anticipated. As you know, Oznia is the child you saved. What I did for her is nothing more than transporting her to the tower after she was belatedly discovered by the imperial army."

"That's quite an understatement. Aren't you her teacher?"

"That was merely a minimum measure to protect Miss Oznia. I never actually taught her anything."

I couldn't help but be surprised at those words.

The quick casting she showed from the beginning of the semester. And the teleportation she used during the recent off-route fall. All of them were magic skills far beyond a student's level.

I had naturally assumed that she had achieved such skills because Ruellyn directly taught her.

After a brief silence, I slowly opened my mouth.

"So, you're saying you didn't teach her?"

"At first, that was my intention. I thought I'd test her aptitude a bit since we met like this, and to figure out the identity of the voice that was speaking to her. But then..."

Ruellyn let out a chuckle, almost like a derisive snort.

"My, she really... has an amazing talent. It was not just about learning ten from one, it was as if she was pulling something from nothing. Whenever she wanted to know something, it was as if the related magic knowledge just sprang up inside her head."

"Sprang up, you say..."

I asked somewhat apprehensively. That seemed quite a lowbrow phrase for the vocabulary of an Archmage.

"Truly. It was as if I was looking at a mage version of Malevolent Star, you. You learned the swordsmanship of a sword sage and the shield techniques of a Goddess' Champion just by watching once, didn't you? The moment when Notos was rampaging around is still vivid in my mind."

"......"

Ah, there was such a time.

The sacred shield technique of a Goddess' Champion is a secret technique passed on only to the paladins of the Sacred Empire, those of extraordinary ability. Naturally, it would be infuriating for the paladins of the Sacred Empire that someone could learn it by just watching.

What had I said in response back then?

Ah, 'If a technique that can be copied just by watching is considered a secret, it tells the standard of the Sacred Empire.'

...At that time, I was much more twisted than now, and I got so annoyed because people around me were making a fuss. Without realizing it, I gave that response. The aftermath was predictable...

In the end, because the sacred shield technique is just an exceptional way of handling a shield without the use of sacred power, it was properly concluded with a promise not to pass it on to others.

I digressed. Anyway, the important point is that Oznia's talent is of such a level.

"Aren't you also somewhat of a genius when it comes to magic? You're saying it was to the extent that even you couldn't teach her?"

"To be precise, I chose not to teach her."

Ruellyn said, lowering his head.

"She is like an unhatched egg. Nobody yet knows what is lurking inside that egg. But the moment I try to teach her even a little, it will become like breaking the shell of the egg with my own hands."

"...What do you mean by that?"

"I'm saying it would deprive her of the opportunity to hatch on her own. It would undercut Miss Oznia's potential by my own doing. Have you by chance seen her casting spells?"

"Yes."

"Did she ever chant even once?"

I had seen Oznia use magic only three times. When she fought with Saladin, when she escaped from the illusion of the forest, and when the non-regular crashed.

The first one, even though it was lower-level electricity magic, Dispel Magic and Teleport are high-level spells that even mediocre mages struggle to use. And Oznia had cast such spells without any chanting as if it was nothing.

"...Quick casting is your specialty. I naturally assumed you taught her that."

"Quick casting and casting without chanting are entirely different. I never taught her how to shorten her casting. Yet at some point, she was casting spells without chanting as if it were the most natural thing."

Ruellyn let out a hollow laugh again.

"Although I can't live as long as an elf, I have lived quite a long time, despite appearances. All that long time, I solely focused on magic. What I achieved over decades by giving up everything is this title of Archmage. Miss Oznia? I'm not sure, but in a few years, she'll probably be called the youngest Archmage."

Ruellyn's expression darkened a little. It was not noticeable because of his robe, but I intuitively felt it.

"Hehe... I felt a bit of jealousy, inappropriately. Well, that's not important. It's only fitting to celebrate the birth of a prodigy in the world of magic, isn't it?"

"...So, is that why you sent her to the academy? Because her talent was too much for you to handle?"

"Hmm, no. Not at all. That's not the reason. It seems like you misunderstood because of what I said earlier-"

Ruellyn's figure started to shake unsteadily.

He continued with a troubled voice.

"...Oh, I'm running out of time. The elders will notice soon, so I'll make it short. I was extremely worried. Not only because of Miss Oznia's talent, but because I could clearly see what would happen if she continued to grow like this."

"You could clearly see it?"

"An abused child since a young age, who possesses a talent that even I cannot help but envy. People around her won't leave her alone, yet she herself doesn't converse with anyone even after coming to the tower. What do you think will happen if she grows up like this?"

"......"

"Of course, she could grow up wonderfully just to prove me wrong. But there's also a chance she might not. I understand that I might fall under what is commonly referred to as a social misfit for saying this, but the case of Miss Oznia is different. I had to prepare to prevent a possible situation from occurring."

I seemed to understand what Ruellyn was trying to say.

"You applied an extreme solution."

"I thought there would be some change, good or bad, if she met with children her age. I didn't expect her to meet you there, but it turned out to be a blessing. It seems like she relies on you a lot."

His explanation was long, but the main point was that Ruellyn hoped Oznia would tread the right path. But since he did not have the ability to guide her, he was asking me to do it.

To prevent Oznia from becoming a bad mage who destroys the world.

It was an expectation too high for me who was struggling even with my own life.

I shook my head slightly and said.

"I have never given Oznia significant lessons. I don't have the ability to."

"But anyway, Miss Oznia seems brighter than when she was living in the tower. Isn't that enough?"

A result-oriented, mage-like thought.

"It's not as easy as you say. And I have something to do."

"Do you intend to go to the Kingdom of Ionia? To save the child?"

He hit the nail on the head.

From the moment I heard Ruellyn's words that Ella was alive and was somehow maintaining the gateway to another world.

I had been thinking constantly and finally made a decision.

Even if I had to take a break from my instructor position for a while, I needed to go and save Ella.

Ella was the most precious being in my childhood, and if I could save her, I believed I should prioritize Ella over anything else now.

Having already made up my mind, Ruellyn spoke as if to assert.

"Don't do it."

"...What?"

"Oh, I don't mean don't go to save her. I mean don't go to the extent of quitting your instructor position."

Before I could say anything, Ruellyn quickly continued his words.

"This is advice from a long-time acquaintance. Malevolent Star, you have changed a lot compared to the war times. It's probably because you've given up on many things. But do you need to give up even the things that have a positive influence on you? I think your students need you just as much as Miss Oznia needs you."

"......"

"Haven't you given up a lot already? Isn't it time to fill something in your empty heart now?"

For a moment, Ruellyn's body flickered unstably, transforming into flames up to his waist.

He clicked his tongue lightly and spoke.

"I have a lot to say, but time is short. I assure you as an Archmage. This child, Ella, will be safe for at least a few months. So don't push yourself to give up what you have now. Surely a good opportunity will soon-"

Whoosh!

In the midst of speaking, Ruellyn's form vanished, consumed into a handful of flames.

It looked as if the communication had been abruptly cut off.

I stared at the place where he had disappeared for a moment, then soon lifted my gaze and rose to the surface.

As I opened the door and went out, Sylvia, who seemed to have been waiting, immediately spoke.

"Is it all over? It took longer than I thought."

"Yes."

"Going straight away?"

She was asking if I was going to rescue Ella.

I slowly shook my head.

"No. I'm going back to the academy."

Now was the time to meet the students.