Volume 3 - CH 55

Vol 3: Chapter 55

** Anastasia **

Anastasia witnessed two miracles.

The first miracle was a slash that cut through even the heavens, released by a girl who was standing on the “Queen of the Night”.

The second miracle was the magic released by Reiji, a boy known to Anastasia.

Everyone on board was resolved that the falling speed of “Sky Harvest” was fast and that the hull would be considerably impacted. It was quite possible that their bodies would be thrown up and slammed into the ceiling. There was no safe place on board without the concept of ​​a seatbelt, and Anastasia had no choice but to grab the railings and prepare for the imminent impact.

(That magic is Reiji-san’s!)

Although the hull squeaked jarringly, the fall of the “Sky Harvest” slowed down as if a sudden brake had been applied, and at the end it successfully crash landed with minimal impact.

「M-Miracle! It’s a miracle!」

The commander cried and cheered. And as the normal lights returned, the entire control room broke into cheers. The ministers who were gathered to protect the Emperor also happily hugged each other.

「—Where did Anastasia go?」

The ministers were surprised to hear the Emperor’s words. Anastasia should have been right there, grabbing the railing, but they didn’t see what happened to her because everyone was huddled together to protect the Emperor.

The wooden railing was burnt with a burnt odor in the air.

**

(Hah, hah, hah!)

Anastasia was running at that time.

If she raises her voice even while running,【Fire Magic】will be activated, so she has to be careful.

But she was lucky to have no problem running, as she was wearing a culottes skirt and long boots today instead of her usual dress.

(It’s right ahead of here. And– Eh? The door is closed?)

Anastasia ran through a narrow passage and reached the entrance of the aircraft, which she used while boarding. But it was shut tight, of course. Whilst breathing heavily, Anastasia was completely at a loss. She didn’t know how to open it.

There was no such thing as a doorknob on the iron door, and a steel plate was affixed at the position where a doorknob should be originally located. When she looked to the side, “Emergency Escape” was written on the wall. It further read “Only allowed to be used in an emergency. Open the cover, pull the lever, and cut off the steel wire that will appear. However, if used outside of an emergency, you will be punished”. Anastastia opened the cover with zero hesitation.

Reiji was out there. Reiji who saved this aircraft. Moreover, she saw him about to faint after using the maximum magic twice. What do you call this if not an emergency?

When Anastasia pulled the lever, the steel plate attached to the doorknob position slid and a steel wire appeared–but it was thicker than expected, about 5 mm in diameter. She tried to cut it with the knife she carried on her person for self-defense, but her slender arms failed her.

Then Anastasia glanced through the narrow passage, and after confirming that no one was coming, she put away the knife and touched the wire with the index finger of her right hand.

Her left hand rubbed the bandage on her throat, but the sorcery cast on it had already disappeared.

「Cut off.」

She felt like she could pull it off. It was all thanks to Reiji’s【Mana Control】. A bright white flame appeared at the tip of her index fingerーthe ultra-high temperature melted the wire.

「Tsu!」

The wire snapped as if exploding, and cut Anastasia’s finger. Blood dripped down her finger.

In front of her, the door seemed to be unlocking as a few metallic sounds were heard inside. It then opened a few centimeters outside, so Anastasia tried to push it open with both hands. And just as she was about to–

「!?」

The door opened fully and she fell out of the door. Falling from a height of about 2 meters above the ground, Anastasia fell to the ground ungracefully.

She hit her elbows and butt from the fall. It hurt. Her voice leaked out as she coughed out the dust, causing will-o-wisps-like flames flickering into existence around her and disappearing.

(More importantly, Reiji-san!)

Anastasia disregarded her pain and stood up. As she glanced around the surroundings, she was quite taken aback.

A mountain of debris should have been piled up in this place. It was also where a number of buildings collapsed. However, the area was completely vacant.

(Extremely powerful【Wind Magic】!)

She knew Reiji was no ordinary person, but she never imagined he would be a powerful mage of this caliber.

A number of pillars came out from below the “Sky Harvest” and supported the huge body brilliantly. If the pillars were only erected to break the fall of the airship, and the ground was still full of debris and the fall of the ship was still extremely fast, the airship would have crashed and been lying on its side.

Even then, it would have been much better than having the airship being completely destroyed from the crash, and the number of deaths could have still been suppressed—of course, the death toll would not be zero, and there would have been dozens of serious and minor injuries.

Reiji’s magic saved the “Sky Harvest”ーthe lives of many crew members and Anastasia as well.

「!」

Anastasia found Reiji lying on his back at a distance and she broke into a sprint. She had been running so hard and was tired, but she didn’t think it was a big deal compared to Reiji’s hard work.

(Reiji-san, Reiji-san, Reiji-san!)

As Anastasia ran towards him, she was confused by the emotions that swelled up in her heart.

“Gratitude” was the strongest emotion. Of course, there was also “respect” and “affection”. On the other hand, she had a strong feeling of “interest” ーit was “interest” about how such a person was born and arrived at this place.

「————」

She understood as she approached closer. His clothes were frayed and smeared with dirt. Reiji had become a mess as he had been running around all over, saving people before he came here. Anastasia, of course, didn’t know that. But she naturally understood that “This person must have been helping people.”

Reiji, with his eyes closed, seemed to be asleep. His face looked happy.

Anastasia knelt down and lifted his upper body. She held his head in her arms and brushed his hair from his eyes.

(Reiji-san…)

Warm feelings that seemed to make her head go crazy sprang up from the core of her body.

Thinking back on it, everything was as dramatic as a play.

A boy appeared to save one of her very few friends, Lulusha.

He read her intentions and, far beyond her expectations, he captured the labyrinth.

Not only that, she was so surprised that her heart almost stopped beating when she saw details of her constitution written on the paper he gave her.

When he came to see her secretly at night, her heart was throbbing so much that it felt like it was going to burst.

He gave her the hope to live. And he just saved her life not so long ago.

(I already know…)

Anastasia had already known the true nature of the emotions that were born in her heart.

(I… fell in love with you.)

The Red Magus Roars Towards The Stars.

** Anastasia **

Anastasia’s eyes gazing at Reiji’s sleeping face contained fiery passion, but she had a gentle smile on her face.

(However… I can’t open up my feelings to you.)

What would happen if she entrusted herself to be carried away by those feelings?ーShe, a High Elf royalty sent as a “gift” to the Lev Magic Empire.

She understood her position.

That there would be consequences if she said “I want to become an adventurer and follow Reiji-san.”

These feelings must be hidden away.

However, her body was wrapped in a feeling of happiness.

(Because I thought it was my destiny to die quietly after hundreds of long years without ever experiencing this feeling… I am very happy right now.)

Anastasia looked to the sky.

The snake anemone had no more blood to shed and was quite wilted, but the sky was still dyed red like blood.

And then, dust-like particles fell from the skyーno, those were living things. Monsters were falling from the sky. The numbers were not in the tens or hundreds, but in thousands or even more than 10,000.

There were various types of monsters; winged monsters, animal-type monsters, mucous monsters, etc.

Anastasia didn’t know what that red sky was. Not a single clue.

Just that, she understood that they were enemies that brought harm to this world, and if she left them alone, they could hurt her loved one.

(Reiji-san, please rest up a little.)

As Anastasia saw it, since Reiji had used that huge magic spell, he cannot move for a while due to mana exhaustion. Then it would be best for him to sleep. He should wake up when his mana recovers a little.

When she laid Reiji’s head on the ground again, a small moaning voice was heard. Smile spread across Anastasia’s face without her realising.

She thought how adorable Reiji’s sleeping face and voice was. His body, mind, gestures, and everything about him made her heart flutter. She knew it was “love”. What Anastasia learned of “love” from books felt greatly different when it came to the actual experience.

(Right now, I feel like I can do anything.)

Anastasia stood up as if protecting Reiji. And she looked up at the red hole in the sky.

She removed the annoying and troublesome bandage. The bandage was blown and carried away by the wind.

Monster illuminated by red in the sky noticed the huge airship. With their eyes shining, they swooped down towards Anastasia and Reiji, as if thinking that their prey foolishly came outside—it wouldn’t be strange if they thought so.

「I will not let you lay a finger on this person.」

Anastasia said, and held up her arm. Violent torrent of flames burst forth from there.

A bird-shaped monster that resembled a raptor, but had a snake’s tail and was about 3 meters long, was bathed in the flames directly and was immediately carbonized and fell.

In the face of this sudden development, the monsters spread their wings and slowed down, as if sudden braking, but when the second, third, and fourth shots were fired, they were hit directly and charcoalised.

「W-W-W-What is that!? Is that Anastasia!?」

Saved by the soft crash landing, the ministers and the Emperor, protected by the airship soldiers, came out onto the vast deck of “Sky Harvest” to see what was going on.

Not a person knew that she could use magic, and that it was【Fire Magic】.

At the same time, they heard a singing voice that was not at all appropriate for the land where this terrible tragedy spread.

——Old Forest, Floating Oil, Burning Life, Like Flames

God descends, lives in the forest, gives eight-colored leaf, to man

——First the Tree God, then the Grass God, and finally the Flower God

Celebrate the forest, relieve the wind, pour down the rain, and invite the sun

This tale told in ancient Elven language is a chant which itself carries mana. This chant is managed by the High Elf royal family and sung in the right place, at the right time, and for the right purpose. Rather, it is a sworn secret that is not allowed to be sung by others.

Originally, through this song, it brought grace to the forest and erased the impurities. By nature, the High Elf royals were highly suitable for forest-nurturing magic such as【Flower Magic】, 【Wind Magic】,【Water Magic】, and【Earth Magic】.

The firefly-like flames that appeared around Anastasia quickly became larger, innumerable lights, and wrapped her.

Burning her clothes, burning some of her hair which stood upright, but the flow of mana extinguished the fire, leaving only burn marks.

Anastasia had always wanted to sing this song.

As a High Elf royalty—as a member of the family.

Anastasia was not allowed, however. It was beyond doubt that if she sang, the fire that the forest hates would rage.

(Now, however, I can sing. It is alright if I sing. I’m not afraid of the burns. I don’t mind if my hair, face, or body is hurt. If I can protect my loved one.)

She looked up at the sky.

An eerie sky dyed bloody red, the moon disappearing again, and only a small glimpse of the stars.

Wrapped in a huge encirclement of flames, Anastasia roared.

「Disappear!! All evil creatures that would hurt him!!」

The girl, who was born with a colossal amount of mana and was loved by the “flames” that was hated by the High Elf royal family, finally accepted her own powers and was able to use it correctly.

Controlling the mana, weaving the threads of magic, and walking the path of magic, a “Magus” was born in this moment.

The launched flames branched into several streams and flew like a dragon.

Even when monsters got caught in the flames, it burned them to charcoal and kept roaring to the sky.

The flames also spread to the wilted body of the snake anemone and burned like a pillar of hellfire.

When the flames stormed into the “red” in the sky, the flames spread like ripples from that point.

「T-That is the real… Anastasia… one who carries the High Elf royal blood!」

The Emperor heard Anastasia’s voice for the first time amidst the thunderous roar of the raging flames burning the sky.

A sharp voice that pierced through the great enemy of the Empire.

「Isn’t that what you call a “Warlock”, one who stands at the pinnacle of magic…」

Lev people cannot use skill orbs. Since the easy way of “using magic with skill orbs” was unavailable to them, technological innovation based on sorcery became their national policy.

That is why they didn’t know.

The true power of magic.

The true potential of a person.

The next thing the Emperor and the people on the deck of the “Harvest Sky” witnessed was a wondrous sight of cracks appearing in the red sky as if glass breaking, and then it shattered.

「…Uh.」

And at that very moment, the boy lying on the ground woke up with a small moan.