[Side story] Chasing a butterfly (1) While
walking down a quiet street, I saw a wandering stray cat chasing a butterfly.
My eyes are drawn to the fluttering wings and I chase after the butterfly, but unfortunately, it is rare for me to catch it in my cute hands.
In the end, the stray cats are led to a flower field full of butterflies and quietly watch them flutter into the bright blue sky.
The sight of the butterfly flapping its wings vigorously looks like a flower flying in the sky, so stray cats constantly follow the butterfly through the flower fields.
It is an animal that has no home and no place to return to.
If you quietly chase the butterfly without being caught up in anything… the surrounding scenery has suddenly changed a lot. I can’t even guess how far I’ve come from where I first started chasing.
It doesn’t matter though.
This street is my home. There are no major changes in the life of a stray cat that just wanders around aimlessly, even though it chases after a butterfly for a long time as if possessed.
As always, I sleep with the sky as my roof, and when the sun rises, I just take a leisurely stroll on the road.
A life that seems to be swept away by the passing time.
That was the life of a wandering stray cat.
* * *
“Zelan the Cutter.”
The scenery in Sylvania during the first school season is quite different from usual.
The faces of the students are full of energy, and the faculty and staff are all full of energy. This scene at the beginning of the semester, when people are still full of energy, will quickly wither as things start to get a little busier.
Like flowers blooming in full bloom in warm spring, it is a trace of youth that is difficult to enjoy outside of that season.
People who are romantic about bachelor life will say with all kinds of rhetoric that this is the most beautiful and shining time.
“He’s my former comrade… he’s probably the one who’s going to do something like this… huh… huh…”
Aside from the lively atmosphere on campus, there was a guy who looked like he was going to die at any moment.
It was my senior professor, Kaleid Roxter.
The sight of his shaved beard sticking out sharply near his chin is quite pathetic.
He had been talking about dying from a hangover since morning. He was smoking a cigarette in a corner of the teaching building, and when he saw me, he waved his hand and said hello.
As for me, I was inevitably walking to the teacher’s office with this semester’s Elemental Science curriculum at my side.
Then, when I met Professor Kaleid, I remembered something to ask, so we continued the conversation.
The corpse of the highest-ranking wind spirit, Tyrkalax.
When I showed him the highest-grade relic I brought from Yenika’s hometown, Kaleid looked at me with wide eyes.
And when I asked him if he was looking for a formidable way to utilize it properly, the name of a wizard named Zelan the Cutter came out of his mouth.
“I don’t know where they got the corpse of the highest-ranking spirit, but there is no one on Aken Island who can handle something of that level.”
Although it is an object that only takes the form of a small bead, its value is enormous.
In order to utilize it properly, a special form of magic processing was needed.
“Ugh… Wait… I feel so sick…”
“Did you have a drink yesterday too?”
“I did… yesterday, the day before… and three days ago…”
It is no longer surprising to see Professor Kalide in a drunken state before the start of school.
He mumbled, debating whether to clear his stomach or not, and then buried his body on the bench and exhaled in a huff.
“This is something I found in Pulan.”
“Hey. Since you were so excitedly caught up in the internal conflict over the interests of Old Deck, when did you find time to go to Pulan again? “Our successor, Professor Nauri, had a great vacation.”
“I was there to take care of undergraduate business, so I took care of it concurrently.”
I can honestly say that he was busy working even during vacation, but there is no way Professor Kalide would be interested in such things.
“Anyway, my comrade Zelan was excellent at processing these artifacts to make them easier to use. I still remember it. “I was greatly indebted to them during the demi-human war.”
Seeker Glast Outlaw Kaleid Cutter Zelan.
These are the names of three wizards who are said to have probably massacred the largest number of demi-humans in the world.
I’ve heard so many stories that I’m sick of it that I helped Guardian Obel Forcius and made a great contribution in subjugating the northern demi-humans.
Glast tragically passed away, and Kaleide retired from the front line to pursue a teaching career.
So where is Zelan and what is he doing?
“She is already old enough to be old… If not a grandmother, she will be an aunt…”
“Is there a place you think she might be?”
“Well… he’s such a newbie… but there’s talk that he’s been wandering around the Rameln Mountains for the past few years to study the Archmage Glokt.”
He must have eaten as much as he could, but he’s still full of energy and passion.
After saying those words, he takes out another piece of tobacco and bites it. Professor Kaleide already looked like a half-zombie.
“You mean Glokt Elderbane?”
“okay. Among those who want to become wizards on this continent, he is a man whose name no one knows. In fact, it looks like the amount of relics and magic engineering supplies left behind by that gentleman is quite large.”
Glokt Elderbane is a wizard who is well-versed in all fields of magic.
He must have reached a high enough level for material science and magic engineering.
“The things he used or studied during his active duty must have been vast. However, there are rumors that the finished products that came out of the process are quietly sleeping somewhere in the Rameln Mountains.”
“I’ve never heard of such a rumor…”
“Actually, me too. “If such rumors had spread widely, treasure hunters would have carved out the entire Rameln Mountains to find Glokt’s treasure.”
Even if that is a bit of an exaggeration, they would have definitely searched every nook and cranny of the mountain range.
Glokt Elderbane was a wizard so valuable that just one book he wrote right before his death was worth thousands of gold coins.
If there are items buried somewhere in the Lameln Mountains that have value that cannot be ignored, magically, historically, or financially…
“It seems like it exists.”
I don’t know exactly what it is, but it sounds like a man named Zelan the Cutter is wandering the Rameln Mountains in search of traces of Glokt.
“Hmm….”
“Do you have any guesses as to why?”
“no. As you know, my family is protecting Glokt Elderbane’s best disciple.”
“ah. “He’s as picky as a stray cat.”
Her name is Lucy Mayril.
He was once a wizard who boasted enormous power, enough to command the entire world.
Currently, I am in the process of resting and recovering the magic power that I lost for some reason.
“In fact, he has been taught by Archmage Glokt in the Rameln Mountains for many years, so he probably knows Glokt’s residence somewhere in the Rameln Mountains.”
“…When Zelan hears that, his eyes will light up and he will be happy.”
“If I were to ask you to tell me the location of Glokt’s former residence in exchange for processing this body of Tyrkalax, would you accept it?”
“You could ask for more money than what is accepted.”
I feel like I know a little bit about the personality of the cutter Zelan.
Although he is curious and adventurous, he also possesses the goodness of a human being.
I heard that it was she who asked the Cleric Monastery to protect the numerous demihumans.
Although he slaughtered so many demi-humans and was nicknamed ‘the cutter’, he showed mercy to young demi-humans who had not yet been touched by the times of the world.
“Of course, it’s hard to think that there will be anything left just because it’s Glokt’s former residence…” “
Is that so? On the contrary, don’t you think that if it were the residence of an archmage like that, there would be something there?”
I heard that Lucy abandoned the residence as soon as Glokt died… so there was a high possibility that it would remain in the same state as when Lucy left.
Of course, if it were a simple log cabin, it may have deteriorated over a long period of time and collapsed.
“The problem is… how do we find that person named Zelan?”
The problem is that we are currently in the middle of a semester.
My academic schedule is so packed, I can’t just throw it all away. I have said this many times, but I am a person who always works for as much as I get.
“Well, it’s not urgent right now, so you can think about it slowly. Otherwise, is there any reason why we must process the artifact right away?”
“It’s not like that, but…”
I said, sitting on the bench and burning some tobacco.
“I have some ideas about the Highest Spirit Ceremony…”
I spoke while slowly gathering magical power in my fingertips. At the end, the wind picks up a little, but soon subsides again.
I am now completely accustomed to handling the power of Merilda, the high-ranking wind spirit. If so, it’s time to think about the next step.
Professor Kalide, who was quietly listening to those words, burst out laughing.
“As expected, you are crazy.”
“….”
If I had to pick the crazy one between the two of us, I actually think Professor Kalide would be closer.
“Anyway, I’ll have to focus on completing my academic schedule for the time being… so I’ll have to think about it slowly. “I have to go back to my hometown to talk to Lucy, but I don’t have any plans to go home for the time being.”
“I guess that’s the law. But you know… things in this world don’t always go according to schedule.”
“…Why do you say such disturbing things?”
“Well, that’s just the way it is.”
Professor Kalide was lying down completely on the bench and laughing.
Anyway, he was a good human being.
* * *
“Professor Ed. “I’ve finished organizing all the documents you asked for. Would you like me to bring them to the classroom?”
“No, give it to me now. “I will finish reviewing it when my hands are empty.”
“yes. please wait for a moment.”
There were six teaching assistants in my laboratory, which was provided by the undergraduate school.
The smartest one among them was holding the documents I had instructed and organizing them one by one by agenda on my desk.
“Well… Professor Ed. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
“…What.”
“While reviewing the academic records of Sylvania Academy, I came across the record of senior Lucy Mayril…” She
is a quick-thinking and smart girl, so I decided to keep her for a long time.
As I was listening to the story in hopes of clearing up some of my curiosity, Lucy’s name popped up.
“Well… Lucy, what did you feel like when you were a student?”
“….”
“As expected, since she was the legendary Lucy, she must have been a role model for all students….”
The existence of Lucy Mayril, a senior at Sylvania Academy, had already become something of a legend.
Even though Lucy did not even graduate and finished her studies as a dropout, it got to the point where all the students considered her an idol.
Well, it was worth it. Her actions since entering Sylvania Academy went beyond being an honor student and reached the realm of a great person.
In the end, he withstood the Holy Lance Dragon Velbrok for several hours and even neutralized the Aspect magic of the Great Sage Sylvania… If he grew like this and developed all his talents, no one could have predicted what kind of monster he would become.
As she was in fact the most talented wizard of this century, rumors about her often circulated around the school.
Intelligent appearance, elegant gestures. Sylvania’s head wizard who always represents the students with a thoughtful, beautiful, and elegant smile.
…Rumors tend to be exaggerated, but if anyone who knew Lucy Mayril’s true identity heard it, they were all ridiculous.
Of course, from the bachelor’s point of view, there was no reason to deny the fact that he had produced such a great wizard, so the rumors were neglected and inflated.
“Because… she’s like my idol…”
“….”
I was speechless for a moment at the curious look in the innocent girl’s eyes.
If you ask Lucy Mayril what her bachelor life was like… I can’t say she was sincere even with empty words.
However, it is not easy to mercilessly trample on the dreams of a young girl full of romance….
“…Lucy….”
Yes… Anyway, I am also a bachelor person now. First of all, it makes sense to move in a direction that benefits the university.
And no matter what the truth is, if students are motivated and able to work hard in their studies… isn’t that enough?…
No one is harmed… Sometimes honesty isn’t the answer. .
“Yes… Lucy… was a truly great wizard. She was truly a role model for all wizards…”
“W… That’s right… I’ve always wondered what kind of person she was…”
The school records show her astronomical number of penalty points and absences. I am truly glad that it was expunged rather than remaining.
Maybe dropping out was a godsend.
“He learned any magic without much effort, but he never neglected his training and was sincere.”
Hey… It pricks my conscience a little…
But I don’t have to meet Lucy, who has lost her magic and is stuck in Ross Taylor’s mansion… I think this will be enough to motivate me to study….
“ I too… will I be able to become a wizard like senior Lucy someday….”
“If I try, it will be possible. “There is no such thing as an empty goal in this world, so try hard every day.”
“Yes… I’m a weak wizard right now, but I’ll work hard to become someone like Lucy-senpai!”
The teaching assistant clenched both fists, fire burning in his eyes.
Okay… that’s it….
* * *
After the semester started, the number of days Ed Rosstaylor returned to the mansion became extremely rare.
It was unavoidable because just juggling the academic schedule would be quite difficult.
In a way, it was natural for me to think, “I miss Ed.”
“….”
Lucy Mayril was lying on the bed in her pajamas, staring at the ceiling of her room.
It’s already been several years since I lost my magic and entrusted myself to the Ross Taylor mansion. In the meantime, I was able to handle simple magic power, but considering the enormous power it used to have, it was so weak that it didn’t even go anywhere.
He creates a flame with his fingertips and floats it in the air, then clenches his fist tightly and destroys it.
It took several years, but I was able to use at least basic magic. Even if it was just that much, it meant a lot to Lucy.
Veterans who have been wielding swords for decades can subdue wild beasts with just a kitchen knife.
Although it is only a rudimentary level of magic, Lucy, whose sense of applying magical power is at its peak, can utilize it infinitely even if given only a small amount of magical power.
Even if it is basic fire magic and basic stealth magic, the magic coming out of Lucy’s hands is of a different order.
“….”
Having stayed at the Ross Taylor mansion for a long time, I have already noticed the maids’ lifestyle patterns to some extent.
I haven’t seen Ed Ross Taylor’s face for a long time, so I feel like my nose is itching for no reason.
Lucy looked up at the ceiling blankly and then suddenly let out a sigh.
“…Should we escape..”
…It was a sign of a major accident.
