Estimated reading time: 6–8 minutes
Chapter 8
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The next dungeon town is relatively close, about a week away.
Compared to the three weeks it took last time, there aren’t as many complaints from Ryūgūin.
However, there is one extremely painful thing about taking this carriage journey.
It’s been decided that we will head to our destination in two carriages.
「Ah (I see),」 you guys there have realized.
That’s right, your imagination is probably correct.
In one carriage, it’s Ryūgūin and Mika.
In the other carriage, it’s me and Angelica.
When the two of them proposed this, I insisted that the four of us should just go together, but they both immediately shot me down.
「I am the Saint. My true role is to save the Hero and the world.
The Saint must be the Hero’s shield, always by his side no matter what.」
Her way of speaking reminds me of how Mika was when we first met. And from her expression, I sense a distance between Mika and me that has never been there before.
「That’s right, Yamada. Protecting the country and saving the world—that is the Hero’s true calling.
In order to accomplish that, it’s only natural for the Saint to be by my side.」
Saving the world? Protecting the country?
What have you done so far?!
My vision instantly turned red with anger.
I try to grab Ryūgūin, intending to punch him—but it doesn’t work out.
「Sir Yamada, you mustn’t raise your hand against the Hero.」
I’m repelled and stopped by the barrier she erected.
Speaking few words, the hard expression on her face as she jumps in front of me doesn’t seem at all like the Mika from before.
It’s only now that I finally realize just how deep the rift lying between Mika and me truly is.
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Of course, even after arriving in town, we spend our time according to the carriage assignments.
Ryūgūin with Mika, and me with Angelica.
After the last Mirror Dungeon conquest, I reflected that I had pushed myself too hard and thought I would take a month off.
I don’t know how they are spending their time.
Angelica and I mainly focus on magic research.
The two of us often gather snacks in Angelica’s room and discuss magical theory, spending a very fruitful period of time.
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「So you know that light magic spell you showed me before?
Can’t you make a bunch of beginner-level fire magic spells like that?」
「I could, but no matter how many beginner-level fire spells you unleash, in the end they’re still just beginner-level.」
She says that even if you fire off ten beginner spells, a single intermediate one can negate them.
「Then, can’t you use beginner fire magic as a fuse?」
「A fuse? I could, but then what…?」
「Line up a bunch of fuses and detonate them all at once in a big explosion, can you?」
「——!」
Angelica looks at me with a surprised face.
「Also, you could alternately activate fuses and beginner spells to create a chain explosion.」
「Wait! Wait a second! Let me take notes!」
「And then, can’t you create a spell that combines all those steps into one?」
Hearing my casual advice (not sure if you can call it advice), Angelica puts her hand to her chin and starts muttering to herself.
When it’s just the two of us like this, I share my ideas and knowledge from manga I read in Japan, and we test them out together.
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Flare, which simultaneously detonates scattered fuses.
Chain Flare, which uses fuses and beginner spells to create an endless chain explosion.
Aqua Divide (Water Cutter), which uses Angelica’s super control to ultra-compress a simple beginner Water Ball spell into a blade that can slice through even mithril.
Mille-feuille (Ice Armor), which alternates ultra-thin layers of ice and air to create a powerful physical defense barrier.
We develop many one-hit kill spells with destructive power, starting with these.
And we name Angelica’s array of original magic spells 《The One》.
Of course, the two of us also develop many original Light Magic spells for me.
I’d like to introduce a few of them here.
Condenser (Light Laser), which concentrates light into an ultra-thin beam.
Rain (Shower of Light), which fires this laser in small beams to control a wide area.
Cyalume (Sword of Light), which compresses a huge amount of light magic into a sacred sword.
Oblivion (Prism Prison), which blasts the target into the light dimension that exists between prisms.
In this way, not only did the rear-guard magician Angelica join, but I also gained many powerful magical attacks in my own arsenal.
Having created many new spells, Angelica and I whiled away our time in her room, under the pretense of research, chatting idly as usual.
Towards the end, it became our routine for me to drink fruit juice while Angelica had honeyed wine.
「You know, I’ve been really happy lately.」
「Where’d that come from all of a sudden?」
「Actually, I don’t really have many friends.」
She says this with an 「ahaha」 laugh.
「But Ichiro, you listen to me without making fun of me, you know? And you talk to me as an equal.」
「That’s my line. These days, you’re the only one I can have fun talking to.」
「Even when it comes to magic research, you get into it like it’s your own thing.」
「Well, I had fun with that too, so we’re even.」
「No, this is the first time since I was ten that I’ve had this much fun being with someone.」
At the sincere sound of her voice, I struggle for the right words to convey.
「Thanks, Ichiro. To be honest, I didn’t really care about saving the world or any of that… I thought that by being with you, I could break out of this stagnant situation and stick it to my family and the people at the academy who always looked down on me…」
At the end, Angelica speaks in a choked voice, as if about to cry.
「You must despise me.」
To her pleading, tearful face,
「No! I don’t despise you at all!」
I vehemently deny it.
「I’m the same way.」
If Angelica weren’t in my life right now…
Would I have been able to overcome this jealousy-filled existence on my own?
「You saved me too.」
Angelica hugs me as I shed tears.
「Tell me about everything up until now.」
Vowing to understand each other even more than before, the two of us became irreplaceable, one-of-a-kind existences to each other – more than just trusted companions.
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The one-month rest period ended.
As we prepare to resume dungeon exploration, one problem arises.
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