Wolf’s Melancholy (1)
– ‘There are bound to be many spirits who find it difficult to communicate with humans. Because the time allowed to humans is short, spirits always appear impatient.’
– ‘You talk as if you are not human. In my eyes, so are you.’
This is a story before the Academy was even established on the vast Aken Island.
A wide plain located to the southeast of the North Forest, which spreads widely around the towering Mt. Oun Mountain, and a coastal area to the west. And the grassland area due south.
In the opposite direction, when walking among the broad-leaved trees spread out around the cliff area at the northern end, climbing along the halfway side of the mountain, or playing along the river in the forest, various spirits would come into sight.
This heartwarming sight was quite impressive for Merilda, who had just become a high-ranking spirit.
Because of that, I used to stay on Aken Island for a long time, but when I came to my senses, I suddenly found myself stuck on the island and not going out.
Even on Aken Island, located at the southwestern tip of the continent, it is not without natives.
Slash-and-cut farmers who escaped from Margrave Zahoor’s territory and found a new home, and explorers who came in looking for natural resources such as magic stones in the coastal caves of Aken Island, often came here.
A few settlers with stories came in and formed small villages with about six or seven households.
The human race was an unpredictable being that sometimes seemed to be in harmony with nature, but also threatened nature when necessary. They were also difficult for Merilda, who had suddenly fallen in love with the northern forest, on how to treat them.
Although I cannot explain it in detail, there were many conflicts and times of harmony. There have been times when they have come together to respond to disasters that hit the island, and there have been times when they have become angry at humans who engage in excessive hunting and logging.
– ‘I’m going to build a school.’
Among those people, if I were to choose the most impressive eccentric person, it would be that girl.
The girl, with her shiny silver hair tied back and dressed in a leather tunic and a gold semi-robe worn by wizards, was always full of life. Even the simple rings of various colors on her hands, the dragon’s molar-shaped necklace around her neck, and the jewels on the hem of her clothes were all filled with magical energy.
She was praised as a great sage in the far northern lands, but was caught using the imperial research facilities to manipulate taboo magic and was kicked out… There were rumors that she was the eccentric of eccentrics.
The achievements she had made so far were so great that she was not particularly accused of any crimes, but for this girl with a strong curiosity and passion for learning, being kicked out to an island with nothing must have been enough to shake her head.
However, the underdeveloped environment alone cannot stop the passion of the famous magic researcher—Sylvania Robester.
When he had just arrived on Aken Island, he cut down trees in the northern forest to make a magic wand and researched material transformation magic, which caused a big conflict with Merilda. Most of the time was spent hitting and fighting.
An attempt was made to suddenly create a riverbank and convert the energy of falling water into magical energy. They captured spirits, studied sealing methods, and attempted to engrave ‘magic of grinding’, one of the representative taboos, on a huge tombstone.
Merilda’s inexplicable behavior was a headache, but Sylvania continued to research all kinds of magical powers while smiling to the end.
Sylvania is a place where there is not even a common research cylinder, and many research books that will go down in history have been written.
Even if Merilda tried to stop her, there was no way her enthusiasm for learning would cool down.
She always does unpredictable things, so she was always mentally prepared, but this time, I never thought she would decide to build a school.
– ‘Well, it’s small in size, so it’s more like an academy than a school.’
– ‘What kind of nonsense are you talking about again?’
Due to Sylvania’s tendency to get into trouble whenever she gets the chance, there hasn’t been a single day of quiet since she came to Aken Island.
It was a difficult time for Merilda, who always enjoyed the wind leisurely at the edge of a lake in the northern forest or halfway up a mountain.
– ‘To teach magic and basic combat skills by building a small wooden building in the plains to the east. If possible, alchemy as well.’
– ‘It looks like you really have a lot of time.’
– ‘no. I always said it. Unlike spirits, humans are always busy because they have no time allowed.’
Sylvania’s expression is already unsettling as she puts both arms on her waist and grins.
– ‘Some abandoned children from the imperial family or lawless areas come to Aken Island. They are all great kids, but I think the imperial family is threatening them to take responsibility and take good care of these kids instead of doing unnecessary things. It seemed like each of them had their own story.’
– ‘Well, even after you were exiled to Aken Island, you got into all kinds of accidents. It looks like the imperial family also had a headache, so they gave it something to do.’
– ‘I felt a little bad because I thought they were asking me to look after their child… but surprisingly, they are all good and sincere, right? Plus, they all come from incredible backgrounds, so I thought there must be a reason why they were entrusted to me, who is called the great sage.’
After saying that, Sylvania named the children who would soon arrive at Aken Island one by one.
Teslin MacLore, a descendant of the first swordsman Luden, Glokt Elderbane, a boy wizard blessed by the stars, and Filona Bloomriver, a witch alchemist who is said to have created the ‘reagent of death’ even before her coming-of-age ceremony.
It is still a long time in the future that the three children, who each excel in combat magic, will rule the continent as the first disciples of the great sage Sylvania.
– ‘Anyway, if we build something like a school in the eastern plains, it’s obvious that Merylda will cause an uproar again, so I came to talk to you in advance~. I will never touch the area around the North Forest and will keep it in its natural state, so I hope you can just pretend not to notice and move on.’
The scenery of Aken Island is still more like a land of nature than a place of study.
I sit quietly at the top of the mountain I climbed, without any interest in how human affairs progress, and watch the trees sway.
The great sage who is catching the wind in front of him is always humming a song, wondering why it feels so good. I didn’t really like that in the past, but I think I’ve gotten used to it recently.
Adaptation is truly scary.
Just like a drop of water falling through a rock, when you come to your senses, this girl seeps into you… and it becomes natural for her to be by your side.
Merilda went through such an experience and thought that it might not be such a big deal to be surprisingly close to a human.
Interacting with humans is not as bad as you might think. It’s just more annoying than you think.
For a while, the wolf just stared down at the scenery of Aken Island, leaving behind such a depressing impression.
Spirit time flows so quickly that it differs from that of humans.
The sun rises in the eastern sea and quietly sinks in the western sea. If this is repeated, the island’s scenery will also change significantly.
Cherry blossoms bloom, the vegetation grows thicker, the leaves fall, and snow begins to pile up. Although the sight of Aken Island is beautiful at every moment, it is not always the same.
Sylvania’s school, which was small and built on the eastern side of the island, is gradually growing in size. The number of students coming and going increased, and before you knew it, magnificent buildings were being built and spiers were piercing the sky. What started out as an academy eventually received a more plausible name, Sylvania Academy, to commemorate her achievements that are no longer in the world.
As time passed, the eastern academy became a ‘faculty building’.
The small human village of a few households in the west gradually grew in number as the size of the school grew… before we knew it, a commercial district of its own was formed, and many humans began to come in looking for opportunities.
In this way, the western village was given the name ‘Residence Building’ and even a dormitory managed by the academy began to be built.
As time has passed, the scenery of Aken Island has changed a lot.
The sight of Aken Island, where the only things roaming around were wild animals, is now a long time ago.
You can clearly feel the flow of the times when you look at the buildings that come up every now and then or the sight of students walking around the school.
As various weapons were developed and a lot of research was conducted on combat techniques and strategies, the combat department curriculum was divided into dozens of branches. Now, the Academy Combat Department not only produces combatants, but also famous generals and tacticians.
The same goes for the field of magic. Long ago, there was a time when elite wizards who could handle only mid-level magic were considered elite wizards, but recently, even wizards who can handle the highest level magic at the academy level have appeared. Although he was a strong human being at an unusually high level.
The field of alchemy has developed in a completely different direction and does not stop at reagent mixing or mineralogy, but deals with all aspects of magical power, from magical engineering, herbalism, craftsmanship, and magical biology. It feels like the pension field has taken over all the fields that couldn’t be achieved through magic.
The trends of the times and academic development are so rapid and expansive.
[Again, time goes by without me. ]
Merilda in human form was sitting astride a particularly large tree rising halfway up the mountain.
Merylda chanted in a low voice as she looked at the panoramic view of Sylvania Academy.
[It was always like that. ]
*[ I’m trying to run away from home. ]
If you hear random things often, you will develop immunity to them.
“…What do you mean by that?”
[It seems like everyone takes me for granted these days, so I’m thinking of disappearing. You can think of it as a kind of ransom management. Ugh. ]
“…”
The camp’s flame was bathed in the warm light of the midday sun.
Even though it was late summer, the weather was quite cool. However, it was difficult to say that fall was coming, so it was the perfect time to wear light clothes and catch a cold due to the daily temperature difference.
As for me, I wasn’t in a state to worry about catching a cold. This was because his body was already in dire straits.
While I sat by the fire, staring blankly at the crackling flames, Belle Maia was chopping onions at the workbench.
It was such a peaceful state that the only sound was the sound of a kitchen knife hitting a cutting board.
“…Did you call me?”
“No. Merilda… So, the spirit that made a contract with me said some nonsense.”
“okay.”
Since my magic power is depleted, I cannot even make Merilda appear in human form.
Therefore, Belle, who does not have the ability to perceive spirits, cannot see Merilda.
After giving that simple answer, Belle began to trim the various ingredients in the basket again.
As it was the vacation season, things seemed to be relatively leisurely at the Ofilis Hall.
Whenever he had free time, he would come to take care of me when I was not in good health, and every time he did that, he would take care of all the chores for maintaining the camp, so I was very grateful.
Thanks to this, all I have to do is get some rest until the vacation ends. When my physical condition improves, I plan to give you something in return.
[What nonsense. How much agony did I go through~. ]
Merilda quickly stood up from the tree stump beyond the campfire and lightly kicked her bare feet, her pure white skirt fluttering. Then, my body naturally floated and jumped onto the tree stump next to me.
He quickly sat down, stretched out his bare legs toward the campfire, and smiled sinisterly.
[What should I say? I feel like I want to leave. If I suddenly disappear and there is no one to manage the northern forest, the corporeal spirits and lower-level spirits that have made their home here will start to freak out, right? ]
“You have a bad personality.”
[I’m just managing my ransom periodically. If the favor continues, I think it is my right~. Then you become a hero. I need to periodically let them know that I’m having a hard time and that if I’m not there, big trouble will happen. huh. ]
Merilda smiled brightly and pulled the hem of her dress down.
[You’re just going to rest for the rest of the vacation anyway, right? I’m going to come back after a bit of enlightenment and wandering around. I’m thinking of abandoning the northern forest for a few days. ]
“To put it simply, I want to rest for a while. Yes, everything is fine… Lucy is currently at the imperial court. Whose magical power do you plan to manifest?” Normally, Merylda shares my magical power evenly with Lucy, but at this time, there is no place on Aken Island where she can receive a sufficient supply of magical
energy .
Once you’ve used up all of it, you can’t maintain the manifest state. You’ve probably used up most of the magic you built up in the last Crepin battle, so you’re now broke.
[I have your staff. If I don’t have magic power, I can also manifest spirit consciousness. It may not be possible, but simply manifesting a human form would be possible with the staff’s own ability. It doesn’t require combat ability anyway, so it’s not a big problem. ] ”
…So, is that why you said something so random to me? “I need to borrow your wand power.”
[I’m a good kid who always asks for permission even before I run away from home~.] I can’t help but say
, “Is there a crazy person in the world who runs away from home after getting permission?”
due to his special status as a spirit subject to a contract.
[It’s been a while since I’m going to walk around looking at the school, so unless there’s something urgent, I’ll just leave him alone because he has a bit of wanderlust.]
“Okay. You’ve been through a lot, so you should rest when you can.”
I couldn’t control myself, so I asked Belle to bring me a cane.
Belle boiled a pot of water next to the campfire, then nodded and answered, and went into the cabin.
[ Yenika and Lucy said they would probably return by the end of the vacation, right? Until then, they are recovering well. Ed, you were hurt a lot too. ]
“What’s a spirit that throws a contracted human into a camp and goes on a wandering business?”
[Anyway. That maid is constantly taking care of you. She’s full of sinister thoughts inside, but isn’t she keeping her dark intentions from showing because I’m stuck next to her? ] As
Merilda spoke with a grin like that, I stared at the girl’s figure with my eyes wide open. I was just watching.
[Anyway, the joke
doesn’t work.] “I have no time to rest except now.”
[That’s right. News about the remaining family forces will come out before the vacation, and once the semester starts, you’ll be busy digesting the curriculum again. That’s right. Yes, you must be having a hard time because you are busy. ]
With a mischievous look on her face, Merilda lifted her bare foot and kicked a few stones nearby. Some of the small stones rolled a few times through the grass and soon settled down near the bonfire. After
idling around like that for a while, Belle I took my walking stick and came out of my cabin.
“Here it is. Are you planning on using magic power? It’s best not to overdo it.”
“No, I don’t have the magic power to use it anyway. I just rely on the wand’s power.”
As I held the wand and concentrated for a moment, the wand’s power began to manifest little by little. Even though
I couldn’t use it as a combat ability at all, Merilda succeeded in appearing in the form of a girl anyway.
A true epiphany . There is absolutely no meaning beyond that. She doesn’t even feel any magical power, so she’s just a pretty-looking girl with white hair.
Belle stared at it for a moment in amazement as she saw such a girl appear on a tree stump. From Merilda’s point of view, Belle was a spherical girl. So naturally, she gave an alluring smile and jumped down from the tree stump.
[Aha, when I appeared, I really liked the feeling of stepping on grass like this.]
Although her feet were so thin that I was worried that she might get a scratch, Merilda lightly lifted the hem of her skirt as if she was okay with it. She raised her legs and played with them as if she was dancing.
[Then, take a good rest until news comes from the family~. I will also go get a drink in moderation~.]
Merilda said that and waved her hand at me and walked out with a lively pace.
Even if you walk like that barefoot , Is it painful?
I wondered that, but I thought it would be okay, so
I left it alone. I poked the bonfire with the poker a few times, then sighed again and relaxed my body.
I can’t taste. All the food tastes like chewing sand. . I can’t hear well in one ear and my left leg also has little strength. I
have a low and high fever alternately, and sometimes I feel nauseous or have chills. I
continue to maintain a state where I don’t have a single shred of magical energy left. It’s not like the highest-ranking spirit was fully summoned. I only summoned the head and shot it once. With just that brief appearance, my physical condition was shattered to such an
extent
that Yenika, who had kept the highest-ranking water spirit out for a long time, had such tremendous sensitivity. Does she have it?
Of course, Jenica also had to lie down for a long time and receive care right after summoning Friede, but even taking that into account, she has an extraordinary level of sensitivity.
“…”
When I think of Jenica, I can’t help but feel the worry I had while riding the train to Pulan. My younger self also comes to mind. The same was true for Lortel and Clarisse.
However, it was impossible to tell them to postpone their precious homecoming schedule or business/official schedule in order to take care of me, who only needed to rest appropriately.
The best way to return the favor is to get as much rest as possible and show much improvement when you return at the end of the vacation.
What I was most worried about was Tanya.
Tanya, who pushed me onto my back and told me to go back to Aken Island, was wearing a cape with an image of an eagle symbolizing the head of the family.
When I close my eyes, I picture Tanya’s back, with her hair tied up, looking at the collapsed Ross Taylor mansion.
I’m worried, but it’s hard to do anything with my mind in a dazed state and my body in a state of complete disrepair. It was more likely to be a burden than a help.
First of all, quick recovery is important.
Knowing that fact, I relaxed my body as much as I could… and forced the tasteless rice into my mouth.
*When Magnus Calamore, commander of the corps commanding the northern grasslands, arrived at Ross Taylor Mansion, the entire situation had come to an end.
He had originally been scheduled to visit at the end of the social event. The military meeting was suddenly scheduled, so I couldn’t arrive on time.
He couldn’t help but widen his eyes when he saw the completely collapsed Ross Taylor mansion and the temporarily erected tents in front of it.
“Commander Magnus. I am sorry that I am not in a position to treat you well.”
And at the center table of the largest tent, there was a girl who was currently taking care of the situation.
It was Tanya Rosstaylor, the student council president of Sylvania Academy and the current matriarch of the Rosstaylor family.
A slightly tired look remained on his youthful face. Nevertheless, Tanya spoke skillfully even to a corps commander who was several times older than her.
“As you can see, the current state of Ross Taylor Mansion is like this…”
“What happened?”
Magnus swept away the bushy leaves and spoke politely to Tanya. It was immediately apparent that her status had been elevated to a higher level.
Tanya lowered her eyes and laughed at the irony of the situation.
There were several VIPs left around Tanya discussing the situation at the mansion. Most of them returned to their territories, but some key nobles were still at the scene and trying to control the situation.
One of them was Senir Bloomriver, the head of the Bloomriver family.
Sinir, an elderly woman with a few wrinkles. She recognized Magnus and lowered her head slightly.
Magnus also greeted her with a nod and then sat down in front of Tanya.
Sinir and Magnus are people who have children of their own in Sylvania.
Magnus’ son, Wade Calamore, is the valedictorian of his freshman year. And Traceiana Bloomriver, the second of Sinir’s two twin daughters, is the valedictorian of the fourth year of the Ministry of Magic.
As the two parents of honor students, they also know well Tanya Rosstaylor, the student body president at Sylvania.
However, since I had no experience actually meeting her, I was only guessing what kind of girl she might be.
The position of student council president responsible for the students of the famous Sylvania. In addition, he has inherited the position of head of the family, who must take responsibility for the family in ruins.
The girl carrying this heavy load was smaller than expected, so the two people could not help but look at them with worried eyes.
However, Tanya casually spoke first.
“I’ll talk to Geodujeolmi. I’m cornered, so I don’t have time to weigh the seasoning here and there.”
To Magnus, who had not yet heard about the situation at Ross Taylor Mansion, it could not help but sound like nothing out of the blue.
Still, Tanya spoke without hesitation.
“I will bring down Princess Selaha.”
Selaha Persica Fenia.
In a three-way battle for imperial power, where can Tanya turn to survive?
“Are you willing to cooperate?”
Magnus, born with the blood of a warrior, rose to the rank of general in charge of the entire northern steppe.
Sinir, the head of the Bloomriver family, known as the witch’s house.
If you want to persuade two people to your side, you must have something, whether it be a cause or power.
However, Tanya is now the head of the family in charge of a family that is on the verge of extinction. There is no fool in the world who would follow someone who is cornered like this.
Although she didn’t know that, Tanya spoke confidently nonetheless. Stick to your side.
There was not even the slightest hesitation in the way he affirmed it as if it were the correct answer.
*
“Master Ed.”
“…Good morning Belle.”
“Sorry for the break, but… a letter has arrived.”
“…Letter?”
It was the next morning.
As I was convalescing and recuperating next to the bonfire, I looked at Belle, who had been visiting since early morning, with a puzzled look on my face.
“…To me?”
“Yes. It was flown to Master Ed’s address at Ofilis Hall, so I retrieved it and brought it to him.”
“…When was the last time I was kicked out of Ofilis Hall, and now my letters are being sent there?”
“I wonder too…”
I received the letter from Belle and immediately opened it.
It was in a shabby envelope, but the ink writing was neat, as if it had been written recently.
The content wasn’t very long, so I skimmed through it quickly.
– Notification to Ed Rosstaylor, the worst kidnapper in captivity.
“?”
Belle, who was reading along behind me, made eye contact with me and tilted her head.
– I know about the terrible evil you committed against the slender girl. I can never forgive you for freely trampling on the poor mute girl who could not even resist or utter a word.
– I would like to report all these evil deeds to the Academic Council, but seeing the last mercy of the kind-hearted victim who tried to stop this, I will postpone the condemnation if he comes forward and apologizes.
– As soon as you check the letter, it will pop out through the Glokt tube.
– Sent by Patriciana Bloomriver from the Ministry of Magic.
“….?”
“??”
Bell and I made eye contact again for a while and then continued to exchange glances as if we were puzzled.
“Have you ever kidnapped or imprisoned a girl recently?”
“…”
“….Excuse me.”
Indeed, just looking at the speed at which she picks up mistakes, she could be called a top-notch maid.
