Chapter 30

EP.30 3-Week Vacation - 1

Time sure flies.

That was the first thought that came to mind when he looked in the mirror.

[You've grown quite tall, haven't you?]

Leo's height had already grown to that of a young adult, easily surpassing 180 cm. Similarly, his physique had become robust, to the point where he could match the strength of an adult knight.

<Well, it has been two years, so it's only natural.>

Even though he said it that way, Leo was also amazed by his rapid growth. He had never grown so quickly in his previous life.

[Indeed, the power of height is remarkable. Teach me some of your secrets.]

<Don't even mention the height thing. It's a trauma.>

Even now, whenever he heard a comment about his height, he would get goosebumps all over his body, and the shallow scars on his torso would sting.

[It happened two years ago; it's time to move on.]

<One of them uprooted a tree and swung it like a club, and the other used a rock as a hammer to strike me. How could I possibly forget that?>

It was a memory that would likely resurface even in the moments before death. In fact, he had suffered from nightmares for a whole month.

“Now I have to go.”

[Yeah, go on. Try to control your height.]

<Master, you should control your foul mouth. Show some restraint.>

After exchanging some warm, yet scorching, words of concern, Leo left the room.

Outside, Leo headed to the training ground where the sounds of practice and shouts echoed.

“Sorry for being late, Alphonse-senpai.”

“It’s fine. It’s quite a tough task to come here every early morning.”

Despite the ongoing practice and shouts, Alphonse was the only one in the training ground. With Leo’s arrival, there were now two people.

“It’s my duty as a junior to come when called.”

“Senpai, it’s a rather embarrassing title for me in many ways.”

Currently, Leonardo’s official position was the dedicated knight of Ariasfil, but the family members implicitly valued him highly.

As evidence, Leo’s mana cultivation technique had been incorporated into Reinhardt’s official training methods and had become the mainstream training method for the family’s senior knights over the past two years.

‘I had to keep it a secret that I created it, though.’

Recalling this fact, Leo picked up a wooden spear.

“Spear today, huh.”

“I feel like practicing spear techniques today.”

“Then I’ll do as usual.”

Alphonse Armstrong, with his massive build, wielded a large, heavy sword. Even though it was a wooden sword, getting hit by it could easily break bones.

“Then let’s begin.”

Leo and Alphonse charged at each other.

The impact sound, and the rapid strikes that the eye could barely follow, collided. The shock was not just in speed but also in power.

With each clash, the pressure of the sword’s aura spread around the training ground.

“...Huff...!”

The continuous vertical slashes of the large sword, if defended with a wooden spear, would surely break the spear and strike the body.

Therefore,

Bang!

Leo slammed the spear vertically and used the recoil to jump into the air, evading the large sword while simultaneously creating an opportunity for a counterattack.

“...Into the air...?!”

Responding to the shock, Leo thrust the spear repeatedly from the air, deflecting Alphonse’s large sword.

“Ugh...!”

Landing, Leo pointed the tip of the wooden spear at Alphonse.

“My victory.”

“...Yeah, my defeat again.”

After conceding, Leo put away the spear.

“I still can’t match you. How did you do that?”

“It’s partly due to muscle, but mainly because of flexibility training. It enhances the adaptability of trained muscles.”

“Hmm... flexibility, indeed. I clearly lack that.”

Being male, one naturally has less flexibility than females. Realizing this from Arias, Leo made up for this weakness with gymnastics and stretching, turning it into a strength.

“Still, your muscles are better than mine. The vertical slash just now was impossible to defend against.”

“Thanks for the compliment. Since we’re on the topic, how about we train our lower bodies today?”

Alphonse, moving his gleaming muscles, politely suggested the training.

“That... I can’t today, senpai. Today is...”

Upon Leo’s refusal, Alphonse seemed to realize and withdrew his suggestion.

“Oh, today is your magic training day. Sorry, I forgot.”

“No problem. Then.”

Leo lightly bowed and moved from the training ground to the magic training area.

***

“O~ Am I too late?”

Reinhardt’s proud eldest son, Lios, ran into the garden 8 minutes late.

“You are late.”

“It’s not that bad. It’s fine~”

[It’s a skill to arrive exactly at the time when it’s awkward to scold.]

<Indeed. He can even use teleportation.>

If he could use teleportation, he could check the time and arrive directly at the location.

Moreover, the magic training ground was right next to Lios’s room. It was practically a dedicated room for Lios.

“Haha, that’s too much! Brother!”

“Haha, that’s too much. Lios-sama.”

“Too much? I’m just trying to be casual.”

During the two years of teaching Leo magic, Lios always called him “brother.”

Because this casual title was part of the condition for teaching magic, Leo couldn’t rebel any further.

“So? Did you do your homework well?”

Instead of answering, Leo spread his hands and released a circular mana. Two spells of different attributes unfolded in a circle, emitting flames and cold in succession.

“Bravo! Perfect score!”

“Thanks to your teaching.”

“Of course! I always knew it was thanks to me, and I think so too!”

The Great Mage, who was standing nearby, gave a very sarcastic look, but Leo avoided his gaze for now.

Thanks to the Great Mage, Leo could grow rapidly, but honestly, Lios’s contribution was also significant. It helped to supplement the Great Mage’s lack of knowledge in modern magic.

“Still... I never imagined you would be this good. Achieving the 2nd Circle in just two years and even double casting. This is rare even among senior mages.”

The Great Mage, with his sarcastic look, nodded. It meant that Leo’s growth was far superior to others.

“I have nothing more to teach you at the 2nd Circle.”

“Then, the 3rd Circle now?”

“No.”

Lios, unusually firmly, said.

“...What?”

“Why... why?”

Leo was taken aback. He had just started to understand the principles of magic, and if Lios stopped teaching him here, he would lose the opportunity to learn the 3rd Circle.

“Don’t misunderstand. I really want to teach you, but...”

Lios took out a white document from a drawer and handed it over.

[“Magic Tower” Intermediate Magic Permit]

...and the related matters were listed in detail.

“Without formal permission from the Magic Tower, you can’t learn intermediate magic, the 3rd Circle. If you do, you’ll end up in a cell like a few years ago.”

Only then did Leo understand Lios’s words.

“To learn intermediate magic, I need to go to the Magic Tower and get permission.”

“Indeed. Of course, if you have a formal teaching or instructor qualification, you can skip this process, but I’m just an amateur, so I don’t have that.”

“Why don’t you have it?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Leo glanced at Lios and nodded.

“Ah, I understand.”

“It’s a bit hurt that you understand so quickly.”

Lios handed over the document folder and smiled.

“Anyway, have a good trip. There will be many old farts, but there will also be many interesting things.”

“Will Lios-sama not go with me?”

“I’ll pass. And if I go, it will only be a minus, not a plus.”

Leo glanced at Lios again.

“Ah, that’s right.”

“...That’s hurtful to understand.”

Lios showed his cane.

“Still, it was fun. Since the Reinhardt family focuses on martial arts, it was nice to talk about magic often~ Brother~”

This was something they had discussed in his previous life as well.

In his previous life, he had also suggested teaching magic a few times.

[But why didn’t you learn?]

<Why wouldn’t I?>

[Oh, right.]

The Great Mage, after looking at Lios for a second, nodded in understanding.

It was a hurtfully slow understanding.

“But why didn’t Lios-sama learn martial arts and instead focus on magic?”

Compared to Arias, Lios might be lacking, but he wasn’t without talent in martial arts. He knew enough to wield a sword, so his talent wasn’t bad.

“Hmm... It’s because magic seemed interesting...”

Lios, scratching his head, pulled out a book from the bookshelf.

“Hmm... By any chance, do you know someone called the Great Mage?”

“Me?”

It was impossible not to know.

The floating object right next to him was the very person.

“Well, you might have heard of him. Stories about the Great Mage are like folk tales, legends, or fairy tales.”

In his previous life, he had also “heard” of this title. The legends and folk tales about him were as abundant as those of a hero.

“But honestly, no one believes the Great Mage actually existed.”

That’s why most people didn’t believe in the Great Mage’s existence.

“It’s just too unbelievable. Whether it’s lifespan or achievements.”

It was too absurd to be considered a human achievement.

“Just the creation of the Circle magic system is unbelievable. Like, he supposedly killed a dragon with magic alone... or used elementals to form an army and purify an island infested with undead. Anyway, it’s all absurd.”

Hearing this, Leo looked at the figure who surpassed even these legends.

[...Ah, now that I think about it, I did do that. Old age really does make one forget.]

The wise hero, picking his nose and ears simultaneously, admitted it rather lamely.

What had happened in the past?

Did a volcano or meteor cause a great upheaval?

“But I believe the Great Mage existed.”

Leo felt the same way. Despite the severe cultural shock, he was being forcibly indoctrinated with this belief in real-time.

“...Why?”

“It’s because of this book.”

Saying this, Lios handed over the book he had taken from the bookshelf.

“This is...”

[The Great Mage and the Hero]

A book with a worn cover and pages, its thickness made it difficult to categorize as a novel or an encyclopedia.

“It’s a fairy tale book from the family’s ancient library. I was the first to discover it.”

This was the first time Leo had heard this story. It was information he hadn’t encountered even in his previous life.

“There’s not much content. It’s similar to other myths, but it says that the Great Mage was the teacher of the first hero, Ruben Reinhardt.”

He had heard this in passing from the Great Mage himself.

“Others didn’t seem to believe it much. The hero focused more on martial arts than magic, and there weren’t many records about the Great Mage.”

“...Lios-sama believes it.”

“...Well, to be honest, I’m half-believing it. But the evidence is quite convincing.”

Lios placed the book on the table and began to explain.

“First, the fact that this book was in the family’s library. If it was a loosely made-up story, the family would have burned it as heretical at the time.”

It was a valid counterargument. The older the family, the more they valued orthodoxy. Discussing a non-existent teacher would be considered heretical.

“And this.”

Lios opened the fairy tale book and showed the last page.

“...This is...”

It was a portrait of the Great Mage. Not in a fairy tale style, but a realistic depiction that perfectly matched the Great Mage.

“This is a portrait.”

“But it’s possible to have such a thing.”

It’s real, but let’s pretend we don’t know.

“It’s possible. But the only place with a portrait that matches this exactly is the Magic Tower, and it’s only in the main hall.”

This increases the credibility.

It means it wasn’t a whimsical creation by a bard or painter.

“So, I think the Great Mage existed. That’s what I’m saying.”

“Then, are you studying magic to uncover the existence of the Great Mage?”

“Something like that. If I have to give a reason, 80% is for fun, and 20% is for the Great Mage, but uncovering him would be a glory for the family, wouldn’t it?”

Right now, Leo is standing next to a person who could be a glory for the family.

[...What? Why?]

Sometimes the truth can be shameful, and Leo could feel it deep in his bones.

“Just saying. If you get the chance, take a look at the Magic Tower. You might see it.”

“Ah... Yes...”

Leo, with a face plastered with white lies, barely managed to distance himself from Lios.

Once he was a safe distance away, Leo spoke.

“Great Mage.”

[What? Why?]

<What did you do 300 years ago?>

[...What? Killing dragons?]

<No, everything. Is all of it real?>

[Now you ask? Isn’t it a bit late?]

Leo also acknowledged this. But he had to consider that the Great Mage subtly avoided such stories.

[Everything is true. I might be like this now, but I used to be quite passionate.]

<That’s not what I mean. Why did you disappear like this?>

In the end, people didn’t remember the Great Mage properly and dismissed him as a myth.

If this is the case, the title “Hermit” might be more fitting than “Great Mage.”

Regardless of whether it’s late or frustrating, it’s now a matter that must be asked.

[Nothing much. I just had a mid-life crisis.]

<...What?>

[I was just tired of life. Tired of it, really.]

The crude tone, but for some reason, it seemed like a stimulus to mask the bitter aftertaste.

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