After Story: Elle Village’s Grand Sorceress Mayor Wants to Wreak Havoc in Gaea
After Story: Elle Village’s Grand Sorceress Mayor Wants to Wreak Havoc in Gaea
THE teacup that fell on the floor and broke floats in the air and returns to its original shape, and the spilled tea flows back and up into the repaired glass. Then the tea-filled cup lands on the table with a clink.
The sweet, floral fragrance of steaming hot black tea fills the room as if nothing had happened.
Laurent is as impressive as ever. He just used a time reversal spell.
I’m honestly stunned by how smoothly he pulled off an advanced spell, but Julius shakes his head after watching the miracle.
“Not good enough. Take a closer look. There are holes in your magic circle,” Julius says, pointing to the warped line in the magic circle Laurent drew in the air.
I guess there is a slight bend in the line?
“Ugh,” Laurent groans and scrunches up his face. “But it gets the same result. I don’t see a problem with leaving it like this.”
“Laurent, you have too good of an eye for magic particles. Therefore even if your magic circle is distorted, you can still cast spells by subconsciously manipulating the particles. However, that won’t work when you use multiple complex circles at the same time.”
“Does that mean I am failing to cast spells with just a magic circle?”
“Exactly. You are talented, which is why you can do what normally can’t be done. But relying on talent alone to get you through will only get you so far. Especially when it comes to the spell we want to pull off.”
Julius’s strict advice causes Laurent to heavily hang his head.
“I just can’t get the hang of configuring circles…”
“Don’t let it get you down. You might struggle, but you have mastered a lot already. You won’t have any trouble if you focus on what you are drawing,” Julius says, giving a master-like smile.
Laurent glares angrily at both of us. “How do you expect me to focus…?”
“Why can’t you?” Julius inclines his head at the bitterness in Laurent’s voice.
“There’s no way I can in this situation…!” Laurent howls, unable to bear it a moment longer.
Oh dear. What in the world has him upset?
“What’s wrong, Laurent? Want to relax over a cup of tea?” I suggest, holding up the teapot from my perch on top of Julius’s lap.
“You are just as guilty, Lady Elle! Please think of how I feel watching you two flirt in front of me!” Laurent complains with tears in his eyes.
Apparently, he isn’t happy with me gracefully enjoying a cup of tea on Julius’s lap.
“Why don’t we take a break? I want to drink the sublime tea you brewed.”
Julius’s honey-sweet voice resounds directly over my head. I tilt my head back to see him smiling with an expression just as sweet.
Aw, shucks! Julius is pouring too much love on me! I’m blushing! But it’s all good. After all, we’re a married couple.
“That’s why I keep saying you guys are too clingy! There’s no man alive who could concentrate with you putting on a show like this!” Laurent shouts.
Oh dear, I wonder if he’s reached his rebellious phase.
“Lady Elle, please quit looking at me like you’re wondering if I’m in my rebellious phase!”
“What?! Did you finally master mind reading, Laurent?!”
“As if! …Ugh, I’m too tired for this.”
“Elle, give him space. He’s at that age.”
“True. That age can be tough.”
“No, it has nothing to do with my age! Besides, you’re practically the same age as me, Lady Elle!” Laurent bemoans, nearly on the verge of tears.
Feeling bad for him, I hop off Julius’s lap.
“We’re just teasing, Laurent. Julius suggested we should flirt in front of you to help train your ability to concentrate. Apparently, this is a good way to improve your mental endurance,” I explain.
Laurent turns an even more vengeful look on Julius and growls, “Master…”
The master in question shrugs and says, “It’s a part of your training,” with an innocent smile.
But Laurent is more depressed than I thought he’d be. Maybe we took our teasing too far.
“Sorry, Laurent. Don’t cry. Come here and have some tea with me, okay?”
“Okay…”
“Oh, I know. Why don’t I ask Meide to make your favorite meal today? What do you want to eat?” I ask in hopes of cheering him up.
“Elle, don’t be so nice to him. You’ll give him a big head,” Julius objects. I can practically hear the pout in his voice.
“He deserves to have a big head. He’s that amazing of a sorcerer. He is one of Elle Village’s Four Grand Magi for a reason,” I say in Laurent’s defense.
“Lady Elle…!” Laurent cries, smiling brighter than the sun.
It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m fully aware of how amazing Laurent is. After all, in the manga, he’s the powerful sorcerer who wipes out Elle. On the other hand, if he wasn’t amazing, manga Elle would have no excuse for losing. So let’s just leave it at Laurent being amazing.
“You can say kind things about him because you don’t know impudent this little brat is. He’s watching like a hawk for an opportunity to replace me.”
“What? Replace you how? Like as Elle Village’s strongest Grand Magi? What’s wrong with that? Better for him to be ambitious than not to be,” I say, drawing an even sunnier smile out of Laurent, who has completely recovered from his bout of depression.
“Lady Elle, thank you! But I’m not aiming to replace Julius in particular. Of course, I would love to become your number one, but I’m okay with number two,” Laurent openly shares.
“…I won’t allow a number two,” Julius curses under his breath.
“What are you boys fighting over? Elle Village has a second, third, and fourth, too. We are the Four Grand Magi, after all.”
“That’s not what we are talking about,” Julius sighs as if he’s been drained of life. Meanwhile, Laurent is in great spirits.
Sometimes these two have weird mood swings that are the complete opposite of each other, which I have a hard time understanding. There are also times when they converse about things in secret, and it seems like they are doing some sort of special spell research on the side.
I’m sipping my tea while thinking about their relationship when Julius’s eyebrow suddenly shoots up.
“Have you noticed yet?” Julius asks in a grim voice.
Laurent nods. “Yes. Someone has approached the village. This presence can only be…” He trails off, his brows snapping together.
It seems an unwanted visitor has come to Elle Village.
◆◆◆
I never thought I’d have to see this despicable face again…
Our unwanted visitor is that perverted ratface who previously came as the seigneur’s messenger to extort an OUTRAGEOUS amount of land taxes from Elle Village!
He was apprehended during our last encounter, but nothing happened to him because things got hectic between Aela’s arrival and the Grand Magis’ assault. He seems to have shrewdly escaped during the chaos. Sly rat.
“It’s good to see you again. The last time we met, things went south for everyone, but I am relieved to see you and your village survived,” drawls the lecherous deviant with a smarmy grin.
As always, his smile gives me the creeps.
Just like before, we’ve shown him to the visitor’s parlor and are having Jasper the Trembler acting as the representative. Julius and I are hidden by invisibility magic again, but I have every intention of directly inflicting punishment if he does anything rude.
“It’s been a while since your last visit, sir. What business brings you here? We have already paid the appropriate taxes without delay. Furthermore, Prince Guido is the current seigneur presiding over this region,” Jasper says, cleverly cutting the messenger’s legs out from under him before he can say anything.
Jurisdiction over Elle Village belongs to Prince Guido now. That said, he lives in the capital, so his appointed representative handles things on his behalf. And since this is someone Prince Guido picked, they’re a decent person who rules with a fair hand.
Elle Village now pays the appropriate taxes determined after a proper discussion with the deputy seigneur.
“True enough. However, I know you must have unspoken issues with the new ruler. Am I wrong?” the rat-faced messenger asks with a suggestive grin.
“We have no issues. Only respect for being treated well,” Jasper says, careful not to be led into saying the wrong thing.
“Yes, yes, I understand you completely. You needn’t say it out loud. The third prince is a naïve, spoiled little boy. Surely he knows nothing of land management. He is even exploiting citizens out of their hard-earned crops. Don’t you agree?”
“His taxes are paltry compared to the amount you suggested last time.”
“I have good news for people who are struggling to pay such preposterous taxes. I come bearing a splendid deal that will make your entire village tax-exempt,” the messenger suggests, brimming with confidence.
Yeah, but we don’t have any complaints about our current seigneur! Jasper has been stressing that fact from the start, too. This dirtbag just doesn’t listen.
Even Jasper, the talented negotiator that he is, lets the smile freeze on his face. Communicating with this man is near impossible.
The messenger drones on, unaware—or just uncaring—that Jasper isn’t on the same page. “As I’m sure you already know, it was the witch in league with the third prince who destroyed this village last time,” he says, spewing utter nonsense as though he’s conveying some grave piece of factual information.
It’s true that Elle Village was partially decimated during his last visit, but that was the work of Analia’s Grand Magi.
“I managed to escape from the wicked third prince’s henchmen, but my heart ached for what happened to this village afterward. Extraordinary effort must have been required to rebuild the village.”
“Uh-huh,” Jasper sighs.
“But instead of apologizing, the notorious third prince is squeezing the life out of this village with high taxes…! What a ruthless scoundrel he is!” the messenger laments.
Seriously, what is this guy after? Does he not notice that every single villager is apathetic to his spiel?
“As I have stated since the beginning, our taxes are fair. We are not dissatisfied. Furthermore, the ones responsible for partially destroying Elle Village are—”
“The former seigneur I serve is also grieved over Elle Village’s desperate plight.”
“Excuse me, but would you please listen—”
“Yes, yes. I understand. I more than understand and sympathize with how you all feel,” he says, nodding like he knows everything we’re thinking.
“So what is it you are trying to say?” Laurent asks outright, unable to put up with it a moment longer.
“Ooh! Why, if it isn’t the local master sorcerer! Perhaps I have taken up too much of your time. Allow me to get straight to the point. Per the good offices of His Lordship, he is offering Elle Village the opportunity of becoming tax-exempt upon his return to his former position.”
“Tax-exempt…?” Jasper repeats in a tired voice, sounding disinterested, although the effect is lost on Smiley the Messenger.
“Indeed. Upon one condition, however. The condition is…,” he starts, then goes on at length about the tax-exemption condition with a sickeningly sticky smirk.
◆◆◆
“WHY did you accept that ridiculous offer?” I storm up to Julius the second after everyone else leaves the room to see the messenger off.
The perverted ratface came here to say, “We will make Elle Village tax-exempt if you succeed in assassinating the witch and the third prince.”
He switched out their names for witch and third prince, but he’s talking about Aela and Guido. In other words, this is a direct threat against our friends!
The moment I heard it, I stepped forward to truly roast, toast, ghost, and post the messenger this time around but was prevented once again by Julius. What’s more, Julius took it a step further and gave the order to accept the deal.
“They will only go in search of another method to destroy Guido and Aela if we turn them down. In which case, accepting is for the better.”
“Maybe it is, but I wanted to roast, toast, ghost, and post that damn nasty messenger!” I glare with contempt at Julius, who keeps his composed smile in spite of my anger and puffed-out cheeks.
I wanted to make him pay by roasting, toasting, ghosting, then posting him! That said, Julius makes a fair point. It’s extremely likely the messenger would have hired someone else to assassinate Aela if we said no.
“Don’t be angry. The time will come when you can roast, toast, ghost, then post him. Besides, we should be partially grateful to that messenger. He just gave us a good reason to back Guido and Aela.”
“A good reason…?” I repeat, blinking.
“Elle Village wants Guido, a fair and just lord, to continue on as seigneur. As residents of this village, it’s only natural for us to lend our lord a hand, don’t you think?”
That’s true. I know Aela and Guido are in a pretty tight pinch right now, but they turned down our offer of assistance, saying it’s their problem. But under these new circumstances, we have more than enough of a justification to help them out.
After all, it is no longer just their problem, but a fight to protect the peace in Elle Village!
“Hmm. When you put it like that, I have to agree. This is the optimal opportunity to roast, toast, ghost, and then post the forces opposing Aela and Guido once and for all. Mwahaha,” I cackle and proudly plant my hands on my hips. “Grand Sorceress Elle shall slap-didi-dap those ill-natured noble boneheads around until they’re on the floor begging! For I love Elle Village the most, and Elle Village loves me—” I stop in the middle of my trademark saying because something concerning edges into my thoughts. “But…is it all right for me to go visit Aela, too?”
The messenger wants us to attack Guido and Aela during the next ball. In other words, we will be infiltrating the royal capital, also known as the center of enemy territory. It will be dangerous.
“Are you capable of patiently waiting at home, Elle?”
“…If I try hard enough,” I mumble with my head down.
I’ve had problems using magic since the mass resurrection spell I cast with Aela. It’s not that I can’t use it, but I’ve lost the ability to launch off my favorite wide-area spells. I won’t be super useful in a battle.
My desire to roast, toast, ghost, then post the wicked nobles can’t be beat, but I lack the power to do it, and honestly, that makes me a deadweight.
I hate admitting it, too…
Suddenly, I hear Julius’s soft laughter above me. Then his hand pats me on the head.
“You don’t have to hold back. Let’s go together.”
His kind words give me hope. I look up at his face.
“I can go with you? Me? …I…um…can’t fight like I used to…so are you sure?”
“I’m sure. I don’t want to be apart from you, either, Elle.”
He’s okay with it?! Woo-hoo! Now I can go help Aela, too!
“Thank you, Julius! I love you!” I exclaim and hug him. He returns my hug with a squeeze.
Sensing he’s in a mood where he might say yes to anything, I decide to bring up my other hope.
“Then, then, let me have the best moment in the spotlight! I’m gonna say my trademark phrase right before we punish the bad guys! Okay?!”
I’ll have Julius corner them and take the best part for myself!
Julius bursts out laughing after I express my ultimate wish. “You’re greedy.”
“Naturally! After all, I love Elle Village the most! And Elle Village loves me the most, for I am the grand sorceress mayor Elle! Every scene in the spotlight belongs to me!”
Julius watches me getting fired up with an adoring smile. Then he brings his face close to mine. Heat blazes in his ice-blue eyes. My breath catches in my throat. I mean, when he looks at me with those eyes…I just…
“This has been bothering me for a while, but I believe your trademark phrase has a critical error. You don’t only love Elle Village and it’s not only Elle Village that loves you the most, right?” he says and covers my mouth with a kiss.
I close my eyes and enjoy the soft touch of his lips.
◆◆◆
AT last I’ve come to pay a visit to the Kingdom of Gaea’s royal capital.
Laurent, along with me and Julius hidden by an invisibility spell, are in a meeting with the mastermind earl behind the assassination attempt on Prince Guido. He’s the former seigneur of the region where Elle Village is located. He seems to be cut from the same cloth as his perverted messenger with his haughty, holier-than-thou personality.
Makes sense the earl would be this way with an underling like that.
The evil lord is quick to tell us his brilliant plan.
Basically, he wants Laurent to attack Guido and Aela with magic during tonight’s ball. In the best-case scenario, he will kill Guido and Aela by surprise during the banquet. Even if the assassination attempt fails, the earl intends to overthrow Guido by using the attack by a righteous villager under his dominion as evidence he is an unfit ruler.
What a hackneyed plan!
It seems like a crummy scheme to me, but the evil Earl of Perverts grandly explained it with a confident smile.
After hearing the earl out, Julius and I disguise ourselves with Illusion Magic and make ourselves at home in a corner of the dance hall where the ball is being held. Laurent is standing beside the evil earl.
“I finally get to see Aela again!”
Aela hasn’t arrived at the ball yet, but I should get to see her soon!
“Yes, you will… In any case, the situation she and Guido find themselves in is far worse than I thought,” Julius says gravely. His blond hair has been dyed black by the illusion, transforming his appearance into something easier to blend in with a crowd.
“How so?”
“Most of the nobles attending this ball are a part of the faction opposed to Guido. From the start, the nobles in opposition to him said they were throwing this party to strengthen their ties to the prince, but they have zero interest in building a relationship with him. They are using the invitation as a pretext to catch him off guard and put him in danger.”
“Wow. How did you know?”
“I picked up on their conversations with a spell. The majority of nobles in attendance are aware of the earl’s plan. What’s worse is that Laurent isn’t the only assassin they hired to kill Guido.”
“Seriously?!”
“The nobles in favor of Guido are being stalled outside the castle by some sort of interference. I sense several dozen people pacing unhappily outside the gates.”
I look up at Julius as he speaks and see a magic circle shining in his left eye. He’s using Search.
“Then this ball is being held to set up Guido and Aela?”
“Looks that way. I can see anticipation for what is about to happen coming from every noble present. Fear as well. Fear of Guido and Aela, that is. Their magic is an anomaly in Gaea. After the war with Analia ended, the nobles came to be suspicious of people possessing powers they can’t control or defeat. Thus, they want to get rid of them. Such is the thought process of the weak.”
Another magic circle appears in Julius’s eye. I recognize it as a telepathy circle. He’s probably reading the inner workings of their minds.
Ultimately, the nobles used Guido and Aela however they wanted and are trying to get rid of them like used trash now that they serve no purpose.
Annoyed, I purse my lips.
The Demon Lord who established Analia was a monster in his own right, but so are the nobles of Gaea! They aren’t so different.
“We should let Laurent know.”
“I already sent him word through magic,” Julius says.
Laurent turns in our direction and gives a nod from where he stands some distance away at the evil earl’s side.
That was fast! Wow, is Julius useful or what!
At a single glance he grasped the full story behind this ball, too. Julius is almost so powerful it’s starting to become a turn-off!
I’m beginning to worry I won’t be able to take the spotlight. Won’t the problems take care of themselves with Julius on the scene…?
“Hey, Julius, you are going to give me the best moment, right?” I nervously check with him.
“Of course. I promised you I would,” he vows.
I stare at him, wordlessly saying with my eyes, “It’s a promise. I trust you. I know you have prepared a time slot for my speech.”
Commotion ripples through the dance hall, stealing my attention. Assuming a big player has arrived, I glance toward the doors.
“Oh, it’s Aela and Guido!” I exclaim.
Entering through the doors are Guido decked out in a fancy dark-green tailcoat, and Aela dressed in a crimson gown with lots of frills. Golem stands at their side like a sentinel ready to protect them.
I’m so happy to see the group I could dance across the hall to them!
“Elle, you can’t go talk to them yet,” Julius says with a restrained laugh.
“I-I know!”
For a second, I had the impulse to go over and say, “It’s me! Elle!” But that would crush our plans. I’m well aware of that.
“Let’s move somewhere they can’t see us. Guido might not notice, but Aela has a keen eye,” Julius recommends. We exit the hall onto the balcony and watch over the party from there.
The gathering is gorgeous from a distance, but a chill hangs in the air. I can see nobles surrounding Guido, Aela, and Golem, chatting them up with fake smiles plastered on their rouged lips as they plot their downfall.
“I wonder when they will make their move.”
“Won’t be long. They want to finish this before the group of nobles in favor of Guido notice and storm the dance hall.”
No sooner does Julius answer me than the game begins.
“You wretched witch!” an assassin roars and jumps out of the crowd.
Guido steps in front of Aela and grabs the assassin’s hand, stopping his blade from reaching her. Another assassin attacks Guido with a knife as glass shatters and guests scream. Several more assassins join in the attack.
But Golem swiftly deflects their knives and knocks them back with his unsheathed sword.
Guido glares contemptuously around the dangerous dance hall.
“I was told this party was being held so you could join my side, but it appears it’s the blatant trap it seemed like from the start. You have to do more than this pathetic attempt to kill me,” Guido says, throwing aside the assassin he caught.
He’s strong. Wow, Guido, I think you’ve gotten stronger since last time.
While all of this is going on, the crooked earl is pestering Laurent. I can’t hear what he is saying, but from the way he’s flapping his lips, I have no doubt it’s along the lines of “Go! Do it! It’s your turn!”
All right! It’s almost show time!
“Julius, now!” I signal. Julius nods. And then—
KA-BOOOOOM!
An explosion shakes the air and ground. Followed by the sound of something large breaking and a powerful gust of wind.
Once the racket stops, I open my eyes, which I had closed to keep the dust out, and look up at the beautiful starry sky.
Woo-hoo! I was able to destroy the building’s ceiling just right!
Frightened by the roof being ripped off, the lords and ladies start running around like chickens with their heads chopped off. Sucks for them, for I’ve used magic to lock everyone inside.
“Why?! Why won’t the doors open?!”
Partygoers scream and yank on the doorknobs.
“If the doors are broken, then we can escape from the balcony…!”
I form a smile for the nobles who have come running straight into my clutches.
At last! At long last! My moment in the spotlight has come!
I rip off the plain outfit I was wearing as a disguise and deactivate the illusion spell.
I’m wearing a white blouse with an ascot and a deep-red skirt. My hair, which has been dyed a dull brown by the illusion, regains its fiery red.
My bright-red twintails dance in the night breeze.
“Mwahaha! Listen and be stunned, for I am—” I stop midspeech because everyone’s wide eyes are glued to the space beside me. Their gazes are locked on…Julius and his ice-cold poker face.
“Y-You’re Julius! It’s Analia’s strongest Grand Magi, Julius!”
“Isn’t he supposed to be dead?!”
Ignoring me, everyone’s full attention is anchored on Julius.
Oh my gosh! This was supposed to be my moment!
That’s right! Julius is the most infamous Analian in Gaea!
“Hey! Julius, stand back and out of my limelight!”
“Okay.” He obediently steps behind me. However, everyone’s gaze follows him into my shadow. Grr!
“You’ve got serious nerve to ignore me! But whatever. I’ll let you off the hook this once! Empty out your ears and listen well! For I am…one of the former Four Grand Magi of Analia, Elle Falmil Gracedane! I don’t love the Demon Lord anymore, and the Demon Lord doesn’t love me, but I am the grand sorceress Elle who loves and is loved by an amazingly awesome village!” I proclaim, and get elbowed in the side by Julius.
“You left my part out,” he whispers.
So I go with the flow and add, “Also! I am the most loved by Analia’s strongest Grand Magi, Julius! Your ceiling was destroyed on my order! Furthermore, I, of course, also…also…um…well…kind of love Julius, too… Yeah, I do love him. Actually, to tell you the truth, we’re already married. Kya! Don’t make me say this in front of everyone. I’m blushing!” I simper halfway through, getting too embarrassed to finish, and start twining my fingers in front of my chest.
Sheesh! What is Julius trying to make me say? Oh no, my face is so hot.
“D-Did you hear that?! Two of Analia’s former Four Grand Magi have come to attack Gaea! Oh nooo! We’re dooooomed!” Laurent shouts like a ham actor reading off a script.
Whoops. Julius’s meddling during my speech made me stop short out of embarrassment. I have to get us back on track.
“That’s right! That’s exactly what’s going on here! With Julius and me together, we make the strongest team in the whole world! Did you honestly believe you won the war against Analia? Oh, and on that note, we have absolutely nothing to do with Sereniel and Regulus, who are ruling New Analia! We’re a different sect!”
I’ve tried to clear Sereniel’s name just in case.
Phew. I said it all. That’s one job done.
Honestly, I wanted to wreak havoc with a flashy display of explosion magic, but it’s too much of a risk to use wide-area spells now… Yeah, I’m satisfied with this.
I put on a good show.
“How did you survive?! I thought you were dead, Julius, and Grand Sorceress Elle, who is the most beloved by an amazingly awesome village! You may still be alive, but as long as Aela and I are still breathing, we won’t allow you to harm Gaea!”
A clear and powerful voice resonates through the dance hall.
Guido steps forward. His expression is stern, but an amused twinkle dances in his smiling eyes. Beside him, Aela grins at me as if to say I really know how to wow a crowd.
It looks like they were able to hear the whole plan from Laurent during the time I bought with my speech. The show will end once Guido forces Julius and me to withdraw.
There should be a sharp decline in anti-Guido members after having it driven home that Gaea won’t stand a chance against Analia’s forces in the future without Guido and Aela.
Now, come at me! I spread my arms in anticipation of Guido’s slash. He raises his magic sword and—
“Agh! A magic shield…! I can’t bring down my sword!” he says, pretending to struggle to lower his sword all the way.
“Wh-What immense and terrifying magical power…!” Aela cries in a strained voice.
“I must protect Prince Guido and Lady Aela! But, nngh, the magic pressure is too great!” overacts the sham thespian Laurent, who falls to his knees before me. And while he’s on his knees, he quickly scribbles several magic circles on the floor.
Wait, isn’t this the magic circle for time reversal that Laurent and Julius have been practicing a lot lately?
As I stand there perplexed by the changes in the script, Julius brings his lips to my ears.
“The crooked nobles here should experience a little pain to drive the lesson home. Use your favorite wide-area inferno spell to teach them a lesson.”
I stare at Julius wide-eyed. “B-But…I don’t have enough magic…”
“You do. Laurent and I came up with a special spell just for you. I promised to give you the best moment in the spotlight, didn’t I?” he says as he draws a magic circle in the air.
Hundreds of magic circles form around him. Another set appears around Laurent.
“All right, are you ready, Elle? It’s only temporary, but this is our present to you. Nomonicotte nomonicotte ein ik… Time Gate. Answer my request with this blood offering. My wisdom is absolute law.”
Julius and Laurent chant the same spell, bite their thumbs, and spill blood.
The light bursting forth from the hundreds of circles Julius drew and the dozens Laurent drew pours into me.
This is it… This is the feeling.
A nostalgic sensation suddenly returns to me. This is the long-lost magic power I thought I lost for good.
Since losing my overwhelming magic, my life in Elle Village has been peaceful and happy, but I have always felt I was missing something. After all, what I had my entire life suddenly vanished. The void hidden deep in my heart occasionally makes me sad.
But I am extremely fulfilled right now.
Is this why Laurent and Julius have been practicing so much lately? There are hundreds of different magic circles and configurations they used to pull this off. This wouldn’t be possible without them working together.
“Thank you, Julius, Laurent…,” I say with tears of joy threatening to spill over, and I put my right hand on my chest.
That old familiar feeling is filling my heart.
I begin forming a massive magic circle in the air that I haven’t drawn in a while. It appears right over where the nobles are standing like deer in headlights. The huge magic circle fills in the space where the ceiling used to be.
Of course, this is the circle that goes to my favorite grand inferno spell. It’s the ultimate imprisonment spell that I almost used when Sereniel captured me. I didn’t get the chance to activate it then, but…this time I will!
“Open, Inferno Gate! My wisdom is absolute law!”
The circle shines with my incantation and magic flows from my body. But no matter how much pours out and into the circle, my supply doesn’t run out.
Yes, this is it. This is the feeling.
I feel amazing!
The burning red flame pillars reaching the skies above make the dance hall brighter than midday.
“What in the world…?!”
“It’s hot! It burns!”
“I can’t get out!”
The lords and ladies caught in the whirlpool of flame are suffering incarceration in an Inferno Prison.
Yes, suffer. You won’t die, but the heat will gradually cook you! Be grateful I chose this spell over a typical explosion-class spell that would kill you on the spot!
“Lady Elle’s inferno magic is awesome…” Laurent stares up in awe at the towering flames.
“Hmm. They may be the people trying to destroy me, but I’m kind of starting to pity them,” Guido says with a dry smile.
“You are too kind, Prince Guido! They are the fools trying to take your life! This is a lukewarm punishment in comparison,” Golem says with a snort.
Aela giggles. “Please don’t worry, Your Highness,” she says, the calmest of the three. “I will heal anyone who is seriously injured. Besides, I also believe this is just the right punishment for them.”
I become intoxicated by the immense flow of power necessary for casting a massive wide-area spell while I listen to our friends. Julius rests his hand on my shoulder.
“How are you feeling, Elle?”
“Amazing, obviously!” I respond with a big smile.
◆◆◆
BACK in Elle Village, I sip tea in my favorite tea room. It’s calm right now in my beloved Elle Village.
About a week has passed since our little excursion to Gaea. I had such a blast casting that wide-area spell, I’m still on cloud nine just reliving the memory.
Speaking of that day, after giving the nobles a good taste of their own medicine, we went back to our original script and withdrew after pretending to lose to Guido and Aela. Word has it that the lords who suffered a taste of my magic promptly switched to Guido’s side. Including that crooked earl.
Not that I would trust them farther than I can throw them, but they shouldn’t be plotting any more assassination attempts on Guido. At least not as long as they are quaking in fear of the threat posed by Analia’s former Grand Magi Elle and Julius looming in the shadows.
After that night, the fight for the throne has gone predominately in Prince Guido’s favor. At this rate, things should settle down for Aela and Guido soon enough. I can’t wait to spend some quality time with them when it does.
“Are you thinking about last week again?” Julius asks with a laugh from his spot next to me on the couch.
“Of course! I haven’t been able to cast an awesome spell like that in ages! It was only for a moment, but…I was thrilled to have my magic back at full power.”
“I see. I’m glad it made you happy,” Julius says with a peaceful quality to his voice. I lean my head on his shoulder. He reaches out and strokes my hair.
It tickles, but I’m pleased.
“But you know what really made me happy?” I say as I’m enjoying this peaceful moment. “That you and Laurent spent so much of your time to do something for me. Wasn’t it difficult to prepare so many different magic circles?”
That was a grand spell that made use of the hardest time-space magic. It temporarily returned my magic supply to what it once was. Such a complicated spell couldn’t have been easy even for the strongest sorcerer Julius and the genius sorcerer Laurent.
I crane my neck back to look up at Julius’s face, and his stunning ice-blue eyes come into view.
When we first met, I thought they were cold, heartless eyes. The wintry eyes of someone who had given up on life and pushed people away. But they’re different now.
Softness creases the area around those ice-blue eyes as Julius smiles lovingly at me.
“Nothing is difficult when it’s for you. Every second I spend on you is supreme bliss for me.”
A loving voice, a loving smile. Knowing those are both meant for me sends heat radiating through my body. I want to scream that I feel the exact same way. I sit up and caress his cheeks.
“Hehe. You know, I feel extremely ‘free’ right now. After all, I can kiss you whenever I want to. Do you think there’s any greater ‘freedom’ than this?”
“…None,” Julius says, wrapping his arms around my back and pressing his lips against mine.
I twine my hands about his neck, angling my head to better receive his kiss. It’s a sweet, deep kiss where we seek each other.
Kisses with Julius always taste of freedom.